


The Book of Truth

by justavagrant



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Explicit Language, Reluctant Allies to Friends, Sinbad AU, There will be parental!roy, There will be pirates, Xerxes didn't fall, friendship to romance, in some ways, will add more tags as it continues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 11:16:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28866150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justavagrant/pseuds/justavagrant
Summary: It's been years since the Promised Day. Ed and Alphonse are in some ways still adjusting to their lives as Royal Ambassadors after returning to Xerxes. The peace is appreciated if not in its own way unsettling. Then promise of a new era is on the horizon when Xerxes agrees to share their symbol of power and tranquility with the other nations in order to bring them all together; The Book of Truth.Ling is trying to find anyway he can to stand out in a crowd of potential heirs to Xing. He wants to be the one to change his country. He begins to think the Book of Truth could be just the opportunity he needs. Only, he didn't think it'd be because he would be accused of stealing it.-Essentially a loose Sinbad AU.
Relationships: Edward Elric/Ling Yao, Mei Chan | May Chang/Alphonse Elric, Paninya/Winry Rockbell
Comments: 11
Kudos: 43





	1. Intro

The sea winds were cool, carrying wisps of the waves over the ship. It was a relief from the heat of the sun that hung overhead, blaring down on those on deck. The East Ocean was just as mind-numbingly hot as Ed remembered. Pushing off the crown that rested on his brow, he whipped away the sweat that had beaded there. His bangs were beginning to fall from where they had been braided against the side of his head and back. Ed decided he was through trying to fix them in this heat and promptly un did the intricate braiding. His blonde hair fell down against his shoulders momentarily before being swept up by the breeze. He gave a frustrated sigh, leaning against the ship’s railing as he tied the hair back up into a much messier ponytail. Appearances be damned, Ed was burning up.

The deck was busy with ship crew and staff, milling about as they prepared to dock. Ed could see it from his side of the ship, expansive, with large buildings immediately there on the dock to receive ships and their passengers. His brow knit as he crossed his arms together, golden crown dangling forgotten on his finger. The only thing he was looking forward to in the country of Xing was getting out from under the sun and seeing Al.

It had been roughly half a year since they’d seen each other. They had been in Xerxes, celebrating the new year in pomp and ceremony. Hohenheim had been there, giving his usual speeches and Ed and Al had stood there together behind him. They snuck out of the banquet early, ascending one of the taller buildings of the palace to watch the stars and cast off their regal facades. It had for a moment felt so much like before. They had smiled and laughed and reminisced on new years spent with Mom, going outside and lying near the garden to watch the sky. Ed remembers how much Al had talked about Xing then. Strictly shying away from political matters, Al described some of the best dishes he’d tried while staying with a few of the different clans. But he talked the most of the Changs, and their respective heir, Mei.

Apparently, the seventeenth daughter of the emperor was teaching Al about Alkahestry. Ed couldn’t ignore the way his younger brother’s face had pinked when talking about her. And like any good, older brother he proceeded to poke and prod until Al had become frustrated and embarrassed enough to throw a pastry at his head. Which was promptly sent over the edge of the building. Ed had laughed until a second projectile had hit its mark. It was a good night, and a good memory. Ed liked to think they had way more of them now since getting their bodies back, though they were limited since their return to Xerxes. 

Sometimes, he let himself imagine how things might have been different had Al and him not conceded to return to their country of origin. They very easily could have gone back to Resembool, the place they’d grown up with their Mom, and where all of their childhood memories were. Or they could have gone and stayed with Winry in Rush Valley. Although upon second thought Ed would always shudder at the idea of living in an entire city of gear-heads. But they also could have just traveled, like they did throughout Amestris when they were still under the guise of military dogs. They could have gone far away, anywhere but Xerxes. But they hadn’t.

As much as he liked to imagine, Ed doubts he would have chosen any differently in the end. Because he still got to see his brother, happy in his body, and growing. He still got to help people, trying to get others through their own strife and struggles. And despite the circumstances, he still got to travel and continue researching, just like Al and him had talked about. Only now...there was an (annoying) entourage. But as much as Ed may have despised a lot of the baggage that came with being a royal ambassador, there was one aspect of the job that he wouldn’t trade for anything. That was the memory of his first return to Amestris’s capital, when he was announced and introduced as ‘His Royal Ambassador’ to the Bastard Colonel. No, that memory was hysterically special.

Now standing there on the ship deck, Ed knew he had a lot of things to be grateful for. He didn’t have to like all that came with his newfound responsibilities, but they would never cancel out his relief and gratitude for having his brother there, for having Al back just the way he was supposed to be. He could handle anything else, just for that.

“Your Majesty.”

Startled, Ed looked up and over his shoulder to see the guard addressing him. Their chest was puffed out, their face cast in stone, and their fist was folded over their chest as they bowed slightly. “The ship is ready to enter the port.”

Ed looked back down, the crown held in both hands now. The gold jewel, that was enlade in the middle, stared back up at him as if it was waiting for him too. So he relented, moving and fitting the crown back around his forehead.

“Alright, I’m coming.”


	2. Mei

As was customary, Ed was escorted off of the ship by a small party. It consisted of two armed guards, the valet (that he had yet to come to a proper understanding with even after all these years) and at the end a few of the members of Xerxes’s Parliament in attendance for the ceremony. He distanced himself from the group as quickly as he was able, finding anyone reasonable and bearable to pull him away. Low and behold, that someone proved to be the seventeenth heir of Xing.

Ed could spot her easily in her pink and white dress, just able to resist bouncing in order to wave her arm higher to get his attention. She was conveniently standing right next to his means of escape, a car waiting to escort him to the palace. He glanced over his shoulder and around him in the small crowd before making his cunning escape through. He snuck right up to her and before she could utter a word of hello, coerced her into the back seats of the car.

“Ed! Hey! A little warning-,” Mei said, straightening up in the seat opposite to him.

“Yeah, sorry. Uh, hey-” Not giving Mei the apology she was likely after, Ed turned to speak over his shoulder to the driver’s compartment, “We are ready to leave.” And with that the engine thrummed and the car began its move. Not long after and Ed could hear the startled shouts of what must have been the guards or the valet. Satisfied, he looked again at Mei, really looked at her this time, sitting up straight with her arms crossed and her expression annoyed.

“Okay, okay, really this time, I’m sorry!” He said quickly, “I just had to make sure we lost them. The drive will be way more comfortable this way.”

That at the very least seemed to sway the younger’s annoyance with him and she visibly relaxed. “Yeah, same old Ed, shirking your boarding party like that.” She admonished.

“Hey, it’s not my fault that they haven’t caught on yet. I’m not that unpredictable.” He said, leaning back with his hands out in front of him.

“No, you’re right, you’re extremely predictable.”

“Hey, watch it-” Ed stopped the moment he realized a discrepancy, “Wait, isn’t Xiao Mei usually with you?”

“Huh? Oh, yes she’s right here,” Mei began opening one of the ties on her dress, pulling it off just enough to reveal a panda sized pocket the small bear proceeded to emerge from. She climbed up onto Mei’s shoulder via one of her long braids that were hanging over, falling down from a single tied back bun. Mei had changed a lot since Al and he had met her in Amestris. For one, she was a lot taller (not taller than Ed, thank Truth). But beyond that, he could tell she had come into her own since she had crossed the East Ocean to get to Amestris and discover a way to immortality. From what he’d heard from Al, she had taken it upon herself to assist in her clan’s revival. Mei had become a true prodigy in Alkahestry, and through that made numerous connections higher up in other clans. She’d also brought back some small amount of financial security to her people.

While she would still wish she could aspire to the throne, Mei had come to new terms with the situation and opted to better her clan’s lives through other means. And being out of the running for power did have its benefits. For one, she had become all the more distanced from the hostility circling through her fellow heirs and their respective clans, they essentially left her be. It also meant that there was little problem with Mei socializing with Ed or more importantly, Al. While not by much, the two Xerxian brothers held a pebbles weight of influence when it came to choosing a future emperor. 

Overall it was the Emperor’s choice for who he decided was worthy enough for the throne, but being betrothed to the next prospective ruler, and being the younger brother to the betrothed, held some minor significance. It was another aspect of his new life that Ed hated remembering, that as the eldest it was his responsibility to strengthen Xerxes’s relations with the massive country of Xing. It had been decided long before he was born, before he even knew he had any royal lineage. It was something he opted to rather forget, but was becoming increasingly harder as news of the Emperor’s declining health spread. 

If the circumstances weren’t strange enough, Ed hadn’t met a single of the prospective heirs, besides Mei. It was an unspoken rule that if any of the heirs were allowed to be alone with him that it could sway the favor for one or the other. For the most part Ed didn’t mind this. He hated the idea of not knowing who he was expected to tie the knot with, but more than that he hated the idea of meeting any of them and making the arrangement feel all the more real.

Mei did not count. Because he had met Mei long before he ever knew about this. She also played a hand in tearing down an entire evil regime with the two brothers. She had unintentionally joined them as they fell into a scheme put into motion by what were essentially demi-gods. Personifications of vices seeking to turn everyone in the nation into a philosopher's stone. Consequently Ed considered this her helping in getting Al’s body back too, making her an ally in his eyes. Additionally, since returning to Xing Mei wasn’t able to consider the throne as being obtainable, and apparently this was something the other heirs took into account as well. So as much as it was an unspoken rule that none of the heirs be allowed to talk to Ed, it was just as much so unspoken that Mei was the only exception to this.

This rule didn’t affect Al either. Though the younger brother was still considered a factor of influence to the next emperor, the matter could not be avoided as he was in fact the Royal Ambassador to Xing. Instead, the heirs were expected to meet one on one with him, almost as a requirement in order to garner more political knowledge and experience. It exhausted the younger brother, but every visit to a different clan was made more bearable often by the extravagant meals they provided. And to think that Al had once poked fun at Ed for his eating habits.

And again, there was Mei. Being the Ambassador meant getting to spend more time together, studying under the Alkahestry prodigy and learning more about the Dragon’s Pulse. But of course Ed knew there was more to it then a student, teacher relationship. He liked to think his efforts to get the two to talk about their feelings openly was going wonderfully, even though they had yet to talk about their feelings openly. They were getting close, Ed just knew it. Which reminded him…

“So, where is Al?” Ed asked, getting the younger girl’s attention immediately, “I sorta expected you guys to be at the harbor together.” He smiled knowingly.

Mei blushed, ever so slightly, looking momentarily down at her hands, fiddling with tightening her sash. “Oh, well, yeah maybe, except-” She floundered momentarily, “Except he already left for Xerxes.” 

Ed’s smug grin fell into a surprised frown, “What? You’re kidding! When?”

“Just yesterday. The ship left at dawn.” Mei sounded just as disappointed as Ed.

“Geez, we must have sailed right past each other and didn’t even realize. Damn,” Ed slouched back slightly in his seat, cursing his bad timing.

“I don’t know when he’ll be back either. Before the ceremony at least. But it could be tomorrow, or next week.” 

“There’s no telling how long it’ll take them to get back when they have the Book with them.” Ed added. He suspected with important cargo as priceless as the Book of Truth, the ship was unlikely to take any direct or well-traveled route. It would be too risky. The Book of Truth was too valuable. 

But with Al there to see it safely from Xerxes to Xing, Ed was pretty confident the ship would have very few issues on its journey. Surely they would be swift in their voyage. The younger brother was sure to return soon, no problem. Or at least Ed could keep thinking this until he believed it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Chapter 2. I didn't want to leave this without too much exposition finished. That's probably what the first few chapters will end up being, because wow, there's a lot to get into and introduce. Al will be in the next chapter, and so will Ling (not giving anything away just yet). 
> 
> Feel free to ask questions if you like! I won't reveal anything that will spoil where this is going but background and character roles are free. Anyway, I hope you guys like it so far!


	3. Al and Ling

It was hard to believe it was right in front of him. Al remembered the door and being pulled through, the feeling of being unraveled and put back together, the experience of being a soul untethered from a living body. Most of it had been as exhilarating as it had been horrifying, until it had been more than anything else just exhausting. The recovery after getting his body back had been exhausting. From feeling nothing at all, to being worn out by the smallest of tasks had been physically and emotionally grueling. 

The experience of being in that place, with Them, still left a significant impression on the young prince. In many ways the Book was reminiscent of that. Standing before it was like being suspended, put on pause, and completely at a loss for where you were and what you were doing. For this, guards could not be posted inside the chamber holding the Book of Truth.

He suspected that because of what he and his brother had been through, they must have been exceptions. Being there now only brought back an intrepid feeling of youth. He walked forward, legs stronger than before as he observed the open pages. The Book was lying open atop a carved pedestal, bindings alight with the enigmatic white glow. Al had only seen the Book once before, when Ed and him had returned to Xerxes and were shown its chambers. It was one of the tallest buildings of the capital, looming and aged, a testament to its time spent within the country. The white glow that shone out the tower's openings was nothing like standing before it. The light cast the entire room in a stark white light that was vastly reminiscent of its place of origin. Al had memories of being there that always fizzled against the back of his mind and seeped into his dreams. Even being in the Book’s presence didn’t come as close as he thought it might to then.

Their departure from Xerxes just that past evening had been of extreme importance. This was the first time it had passed the boundaries of Xerxes’s borders in what was likely over a thousand years. Those years were spent as a reminder of Xerxes’s title as the ‘birthplace of alchemy’ as well as their stance as a peaceful and neutral nation through all conflicts. Maybe history had shown that wasn’t true to a ‘T’ overall, but more than ever they were attempting to uphold an olive branch, not just to their neighboring countries, but including those around the world. This move they were making was huge in uniting them all.

The idea had been Hohenheim’s and had initially not been well received by Xerxes’s parliament. The thought of giving the Book of Truth to other nations, periodically holding it within their capitals before moving it to another had felt like giving up an important artifact as well as an irreplaceable power leverage. It was, and Al had thought it was a great idea, regardless of the risks. Even Ed, who loathed agreeing with the King, had given the plan his support. 

It had taken a lot of convincing of the Parliament and even more to the other nations who wished to join this peaceful alliance until finally they were here now. Amestris was eager to pull back from their history of bloody conflict, though agreed that it wasn’t yet appropriate to be donning a symbol of peace and wisdom. Other countries seemed hesitant still to be the first passed the Book, lest it put a target on their backs. They were still distrustful of some of their neighbors, but that was the whole point of this wasn’t it. The Book of Truth would prove that they could move past conflicts and needless ambitions, that true power came from knowledge and an understanding of the greater world at large. 

In the end it had been Xing that accepted the call. Granted it had a lot to do with Al and his meetings with the clansman and the Councilors to the Emperor. The youngest prince had spent years now in the nation among its leaders and people, and while in nature they were distrustful of many of the outside nation’s and their agendas, the possibilities of what could be gained by accepting Xerxes’s olive branch were undeniable. Additionally many of Councilors and the potential heirs to the throne had seemed genuine when they spoke of unity, wanting more than anything to have allies and a sense of trust again.

Al wanted this to work. He believed it would. After Xing’s acceptance of the Book, many of the other Countries had shifted, announcing their support of the agreement. Last he heard, hundreds of foreign dignitaries were expected to attend the ceremony, delivering the Book to its new chambers for the next year. They were all waiting for Al, for the Book of Truth.

“So that’s really it huh?”

He startled. Shoulders jumping and hairs standing on end Al whipped his head around to see the offender. It was none other than Ling.

Al released the breath he’d sucked in upon the other’s entrance, letting his shoulders fall and his hand lift from the sword strapped at his hip. Even if the other man was threatening him, he’d never beat him with a damn sword. The weapon was more than anything for Al’s appearances as a Prince. He lifted his head and glanced back at the other, who was at this point looking extremely pleased with himself for scaring him.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Ling said, though he sounded way too happy about it.

“You walk way too quietly. It’s not very fair.” Al replied, turning the rest of his body to face the other prince.

Ling was the twelfth heir to the Xing Emperor’s throne, and one of a handful that were considered viable candidates. Al had for the most part maintained a neutral relationship with all of them, except for Ling. In his defense it had been a bit of an accident. Al had been staying with Mei and her clan unofficially, studying alkahestry with Mei. His usual princely garb was nowhere to be seen and instead he had been dressed in some of the more homely robes given to him by Mei, when fate would have him stumble upon the collapsed body of Ling. The weak (then)teenager had begged him for food and had garnered Al unthinking to run to one of the kitchens of the house and procure a plate of boa.

Ling had eaten the entire dinner portion and thanked Al profusely before both found themselves in open, easy conversation. It wasn’t until Mei found them later and proceeded to throw one of her shoes at him that he found out who Ling really was and vice versa. The shoe had been caught by Lan Fan (Al had zero indication that she had found them while they had been talking) leading to the Yao’s explanation for why he had a bodyguard. He would also later swear that he absolutely had no idea who Al was at the time either, and he was inclined to believe the other.

After this incident, and all those proceeding it, their friendship really couldn’t have been avoided. Although, Al made certain that it had little interference with his diplomatic relations to the other heirs. Luckily, Ling was just as inclined to follow this rule...for the most part. The Xing Prince could only go so far to curb his own tendencies, including sneaking onto the ship heading to Xerxes with his friend. When Al found Ling later in the store rooms, unconscious behind a wall of barrels and mumbling nonsense about his starvation, he carried him to the kitchen to revive and interrogate him. Ling claimed he had needed above all else to get away from Xing for a moment (unfortunately including Lan Fan who he was sure was going to find a way to kill him without killing him when they got back) but that he was also curious what Xerxes really looked like after Al had described so much of it.

He’d wished they could have gone on an honest tour of the city, but not only would it have been too risky for Ling to wander around, they also had no time to do so. The moment they arrived in the capital’s port the Book of Truth was being not-so-unceremoniously placed on board, in addition to further provisions for the trip back to Xing. Ling had definitely looked disappointed as the Xerxesian port grew further and further away. Al decided he would just have to make sure to bring Ling back for a real visit in the future, maybe after the political climate in Xing calmed down. Maybe after a new Emperor was on the throne.

Al often wondered what it would be like if that ended up being Ling. He could try being neutral for who he’d like to be the true heir all day, but in truth Ling probably had his favor. He’d avoid saying it aloud, especially in untrustworthy company, but the twelfth son was one of very few Al could see wanting and trying to make a difference for the country, and having a chance of being successful. He was unwaveringly loyal to the needs of his people, not restricted to those of his own clan. And for as much loyalty as he had, he had equal parts ambition. In a lot of ways he kind of reminded the younger Prince of his brother.

Who additionally was never far from Al’s mind when thinking of the fated next heir. He disliked the plan for his Brother’s betrothal almost as much as Ed himself did. After everything they had been through and sacrificed, he wanted nothing more than for Ed to find happiness. When they returned to Xerxes and later found out about the years-long plan, Al had shouted at their father for the first time. He couldn’t understand Hohenheim’s inability (or unwillingness) to call the whole thing off. Time had settled his anger towards the situations, ebbed into a quiet frustration, as well as Ed’s own begrudging acceptance of his fate. He remembers his brother’s words when he told him, that they knew what they might be walking into when they decided to return to Xerxes, and whatever responsibilities were left waiting for them. It was just like his brother to concede to circumstances like this simply for the sake of others, this time being the people of Xerxes as well as Al. If Ed hadn’t accepted the betrothal, then likely the responsibility would have passed to the younger Prince. All these years and Ed was still making sacrifices for Al, and he couldn’t do anything to change his big brother’s mind.

So while the circumstances burned him up to think about, if Al had to see his brother wedded to one of any of the heirs he’d met from the clans, Ling was probably the only one Ed might like. Ling was about as sacrificial as Ed was, and while he took his duties to Xing very seriously, the weight of it hadn’t molded him into an imperial machine. Al could still make out the other’s heart in every conversation they had.

Even now in the temporary chambers for the Book he could see it in the way the lord’s eyes cracked open as he stepped closer to the pedestal, stopping right next to Al. There was still wonder there.

“It’s not at all how I imagined it would be.” The lord finally said, eyes not leaving the Book.

“Yeah. It’s pretty creepy isn’t it?” Al stated, small smile lifting. Ling laughed beside him.

“I’m glad we were thinking the same thing.” His smile widened, though Al suspected more as a means of coping, “It’s a little overwhelming.”

“It was at first.”

“...You’re talking about the real place, right?” They were both watching the book now, gazes locked onto the unyielding white light.

“When it had my body, yeah.” Al managed to close his eyes, “Makes this feel like a regular room now.”

There was a moment of silence, not uncomfortable but considering. Their words were flitting around the room, around their heads, as weightless as time. Al didn’t know how long had passed when Ling began to say something else.

Then the explosion sounded, and seconds after the ship was rocked violently. Ling and Al flew forward by the momentum, falling against the furthest wall and crumpling. Quickly they gathered themselves, Ling getting up first and grabbing Al’s arm to pull him up and with him towards the door. They burst out into the hall just in time to see the last of the armed guards running up onto deck.

Without word they followed, dashing out under the rays of the sun reflecting off the newly turbulent ocean waves. The men shouted as they scrambled to arm the cannons and themselves.

“Your highness!”

Al turned to the guard, sturdy but shaken as she barely thought to salute the Prince as she ran up to the pair, breathing in and out. 

“It’s pirates!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was pretty interesting to write. I really like exploring the potential of a friendship between Ling and Al. And building more up to future interactions and conflicts in the story. Like you know, Pirates. Next chapter should prove to be really fun and full of snarky dialogue, not giving anything away.
> 
> Thanks so much as well for all of the interest so far! This is really my first time writing for these guys but I'm trying my best to stay true to the characters. Let me know what you think of things so far in the comments!


	4. Lust and Greed

Lust had been called many things over the millenia, mostly by misconceptions. Vengeful, chaotic, conniving, irresistible-it went on. But most often whatever label one decided to tack on meant very little to her. She was after all an immortal being with far more important things on her mind. The only title that ever irked her enough to make a scene was ‘subservient’.

She was the personification of man’s vice for lust, therefore she would always be linked to mankind no matter how often she spent looking down upon them from her domain. Many of men took this as an opportunity to summon her once they figured out exactly how. It wasn’t very hard after all. A summoning circle, a blood sacrifice and an incantation was all it took. But none of it guaranteed Lust had to do anything for the summoner, she was bound by nothing but her own word, and no one could make her give it but herself. This probably was the inciting of many of her less-than-kind titles.

Although this didn’t mean that she was completely beyond making a deal with a mortal. Most often she would only bind herself by her word if she saw it playing in her favor. After all she was still Lust embodied, and she did lust after few specific enjoyments. For one, ‘chaotic’ may not have been far off the mark. She enjoyed inciting mayhem, anything to get the mortals to flounder or scurry like insects below her, something to provide a sense of entertainment in the midst of her immortal life. Summoning very often gave her the opportunity to push the pieces into play, just where she wanted them in order to watch them all tumble down in the aftermath of her game. And she had just been gifted the perfect setting for a new game.

Her form materialized in a large, dark room, faintly illuminated by small groupings of wax candles. As the shadows moved and shifted about her form she barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes; mortals were terrifically easy to predict. Her gaze quickly shifted to find the one that summoned her, eyes turning cold upon the small man.

He was the only one present, dressed in immaculate robes of green, adorned by symbols of nobility. He went to stand from his kneeling position on the ground. He was tall and broad, with dark eyes that met Lust’s with a steely determination and sickly intriguing ambition. This mortal had a lust for something that the immortal being was now more than intrigued to discover. For now he had her attention.

“Well,” She spoke, tone heavy and dripping with a staggering confidence one could imagine was only gained by being a kind of god, “Congratulations. You managed to summon me.” Lust made sure the form she took on toward above the mortal man, her eyes looking down her nose towards him. He managed not to hesitate or step back, bunching his hands into fists at his side.

“You are Lust.” He spoke in Xingese, if the room and attire weren’t enough to confirm to the deity of where she had been summoned to on the planet. “I have a proposition for you.” Her eyes widened slightly as did her smile, red lips stretching across her face before vanishing as her body dissolved into shadows. She wisped and reformed before the man, still looking down upon him but now only by about a foot.

“I always liked mortals who got to the point. It’s a very attractive quality.” She smiled, satisfied as she watched the adam’s apple stutter before he discreetly cleared his throat.  
“I am Chao Hou, third heir to the throne of Xing. But I am regrettably one of a few most likely to take it. I want to guarantee that I am the only one.” His shoulders pulled back and his chest pushed out, trying to maintain a facade of unwavering confidence, though his eyes struggled to maintain eye-contact with the deity. Lust considered him. 

A prince then. Hm, planning to cheat one’s way to the throne could stir up quite a bit of political upheaval and stress. But what else? Lust glided around the Xing Prince, noting the way his muscles were pulled taught beneath paddings of armor locked above his robes and sashes. Gold threads weaved patterns into the fabrics, Hou had money. She wondered then why he was relying on something as unreliable as her to get what he wanted.

“Power grab, huh? That sounds fun and all but,” She came close to his ear, pressing her form against his stiff back, “what’s in it for me?” She smiled as she felt the man quiver beneath her. He gulped.

“The Book of Truth.”

Lust’s eyes widened considerably. The Book. It had been an emblem of peace and wisdom for ages, rallying mortals to work together or find a better understanding of themselves. It greatly annoyed her. It made the world far less entertaining. But, in the right situation, it could be used for the very thing it symbolized against. Complete and utter chaos.

“Yes. And what about it?” She asked coyly.

“It is being given to Xing as a right of unity and is awaited to arrive very soon.” He turned his head slightly back to speak the words closer to her, just barely avoiding eye contact, “But if the Book was to be stolen...and if it was believed to be by one of my rivals to the throne-” Lust chuckled dangerously before pulling slightly away and moving to stand back in front and above the Xing Prince.

“And if you could be the one to gallantly find the book and return it to your precious country you would be rewarded greatly.”

“I would become the chosen heir.” His eyes hardened and finally met hers again. She smiled, calculating. 

Planning a power grab was one thing, but framing another for a crime they didn’t commit, having them put out of the way and claiming heroship in the face of deceit was another. It was far more entertaining. And in addition to the chaos it would surely cause, for a moment Lust would have the very Book that had given her so many headaches. This could work perfectly for the deity.

“What a devious idea. A dangerously lustful grab for power.” Lust grew ever closer to the Prince, finally forcing him to take a hesitant step back, “You’ve got a deal Chao Hou.” And her smile grew over wider as she extended her sharp hand to the other. He watched her momentarily, before taking her hand. 

This was going to be so much fun.

____________________________

“Look out!”

The call was shouted moments before the bang resounded and rocked the Xerxes ship violently against the waves. The interlopers had pulled up beside them so suddenly, aided Al realized by projectiles attaching their ships together, and wasted no time in boarding. They had the advantage in numbers, but the pirates had something else that put them closer than comfort to victory. As they boarded and weapons were drawn a few of the pirates’ forms changed entirely, becoming something twisted and animalistic. Al started at the sight, just barely able to dodge an attack by one of their opposing swords. Ling at his side caught them before the pirate could turn around and kicked them over the railing to the lower deck.

“They’re Chimeras!” He exclaimed. Ling looked over at him in surprise, brows knit in confusion.

“They’re what?” He shouted back as he lifted his sword and pushed back against another of the shifted pirates.

“Humans transmuted with animals! I’ve only ever met one before but they were nothing like this!” Al didn’t have time in the heat of battle to let that memory call him back, pressing his hands together and then against the wood deck he created a tightly packed fist to push back one of the advancing Chimera trying to leap over the railing.

Al and Ling were nearly pushed back to back, weaving around one another as they fended off each opponent, finally managing to knock one completely unconscious. But the guards were becoming overwhelmed, stunted by their own shock of the Pirates’ abilities and then swiftly over taken by their strengths. It would have been extremely impressive and Al would be asking so many questions if the situation wasn’t so dangerous. The pair were essentially protecting the door leading to the Book of Truth’s chamber. Then another blast.

The pirates paused in their fight and the guards were too exhausted by the onslaught of attacks to take the advantage. Granted the few who tried were merely restrained by their foes as all eyes moved towards the source of the bang. A lone man stood atop a cropping of crates on deck, lowering his hand and tossing the gun he held back towards one of his compatriots. He was tall and built, with dark hair and a smug grin that threatened to overwhelm his jaw. His attire was almost comically roguish, sporting a dark vest with a fur lined collar. He turned his gaze up and immediately landed on Al who refused to flinch even slightly against his calculating eyes.

“Apologies for my associates’ rough introduction, and for taking your time, your majesty,” He said, sarcasm slipping into his tone as he addressed his status. He bowed slightly and Al noticed the annoyed smirks flitting across the faces of the other pirates, “My name is Greed. And I want something that you have.” There was no question in his mind what exactly that was.

“That’s too bad. Because I can’t let you take it.” He replied. Steeling himself, Al stepped forward and leapt over the railing, landing down on the main deck. He faced the man calling himself Greed, whom he could easily assume was the Captain, and unsheathed the sword from his belt. While he was no where near as refined a swordsman as Ling was, he was confident enough that he could hold his own in addition to his alchemy. He couldn’t let himself lose this battle.

“Al!” Ling called from above, his concern prominent.

“Keep guarding the chamber! Please Ling.” Al called back, eyes unwavering from his opponent.

Greed looked far too nonchalant for comfort, laughing quietly as he watched the prince before hopping down from the crates. He sauntered in front of him for a moment, with the nerve to place his hands in his pockets as though bored.

“You sure you wanna do this kid? All we want is the Book. We didn’t come here to kill anybody. This could all be over very easily, if you’d just give me what I asked for.” He said.  
“No way!” Al affirmed, taking his sword with both hands as he assessed all he could from his adversary and their environment, planning ahead where he could go and what he could transmute, “The Book belongs to the people.”

“Well hey!” Greed stopped circling the deck, throwing his hands up beside him as he exclaimed, “I’m people!”

Without any warning Greed was upon him, bare hand raised as though to claw Al’s chest open, though paused. Their eyes locked and every muscle in his body tightened painfully with anticipation.

“I’ll give you one last chance,” Greed spoke, voice dangerously low, “Give me the Book.”

“No!” And with that Al made the first move, thrusting his sword upwards at the other’s extended arm.

But the other’s reflexes were even faster, drawing his arm away and throwing his other hand up in a fist into Al’s exposed abdomen. The force of the blow knocked all the air from his lungs as it sent him flying back. He rolled across the deck before regaining his bearings in order to flip back onto his knees. But the moment he looked up Greed was already there, fist swinging down and meeting his left cheek. The sword in his hand clattered, unused, away from him as his back hit against a stacking of barrels beneath the railing.

“Al!” He could hear Ling’s voice through the ringing in his ears. His eyes shot open just in time to see the Pirate running at him again. Without a moment of thought Al clapped his hands together and then down onto the deck, and a thick wall erupted in front of him.

This gave him no moment of reprieve however, as his opponent simply barreled through the defense. Al rolled out of the way just barely in time as wood splinters flew in chunks around them. He backed up considerably, noting the chase paused as Greed stood and assessed him in kind. It was in this brief moment Al took notice of his hands. Flesh was gone, replaced by a dark grey skin that trailed up the man’s arms before stopping at his elbows. Additionally, there wasn’t a scratch on him.

Al took a breath. This guy was way faster than he thought, considering his build. Being a captain of a crew of chimera pirates had to have ment he was tough but this was beyond anything the Prince had anticipated. These were powers he’d never faced before. But if he had learned anything from his years, he knew that no one was undefeatable. He no longer had his sword, but…

He quickly went to work taking the jewelry off from his clothes, removing the cuffs from his wrists, ties from his waist and earrings from his ears. Finally, he took the crown from its place along his forehead and held it with the rest of his metal. His hands pulsed with a crackling of blue electricity and before his eyes the shining accessories combined and morphed into a long, sharp spear. With a renewed energy, Al gripped the shaft of the new weapon and shifted back into a defensive stance. The Captain looked momentarily impressed.

“Well that was fun to watch,” He whistled before shifting his weight, “I was just about to ask if you’d changed your mind yet about giving me the Book but...I’m gonna take that as a soft ‘no.’” 

“I can’t let you.” Al asserted.

“Huh, that’s too bad.” And with that Greed was coming at him again, clawed hand extended towards him.

This time at least Al was slightly better prepared. He pivoted his spear and knocked the other’s hand up and away from him before thrusting it back around and knocking the blade’s end into the Captain’s exposed abdomen. The blow knocked him back slightly, but there was no wound, not an ounce of blood stained the weapon. He looked back, startled at the other figure as he stood back up straight, exposing the tear in his shirt and the untouched skin as he morphed before his eyes from grey back to flesh.

“If it helps change your mind at all about surrendering, you can’t hurt me. Not with my shield.” He said, raising his clawed arms as example.

Al considered this for a moment before a new idea hit him. Suddenly he was bursting forward, running at Greed and twisting his spear in his hands to knock a blow against his left side. Surprised at first, Greed quickly moved to counter, only to find his world spinning at a blow against his chin that sent him shooting backwards onto the ship deck. Something cracked momentarily and blood spilt down from a bust in his lip. For a second Al thought he had made a decisive move, before his opponent was quite easily lifting himself off the deck. And then it happened, Al watched as the split lip sealed back up and disappeared as if nothing had happened. 

Greed cracked his neck, as if the harsh blow was more akin to waking up from a bad night’s sleep. Then he was smirking that same, confident grin back towards the prince.

“Sorry, did I forget to mention?” He chuckled, “In addition to my shield, my healing abilities make me undefeatable.”

“How is that possible?” Ling said from above them, sword at his side as he watched the fight. Greed peeked over his shoulder at the other prince.

“Well, you could call it a family gene,” He replied, “I guess the old family tree came in handy for one thing.”

“You’re not a chimera then. So what…” Al trailed off as he tried to figure it out before the other beat him to it.

“Fine, if you’re so curious,” He sighed, raising his left hand. Suddenly the grey skin receded and gave way to flesh, as well as a bright red tattoo prominently marking the back. Al gasped.

“That symbol!” He knew exactly what it was, he’d not only seen it before, he’d fought it before, “That’s the mark of the vices. You’re actually Greed.”

“What? Al, are you saying this guy is-”

“The one and only, Greed the avaricious!” The grey shield reformed back over his arms, extending further up to cover his shoulders, “Now, you might want to reconsider giving me the Book. If you do, I’ll promise to let you and your ship go free.”

“I told you already,” Al started, raising back up his golden spear, “I can’t do that.”

He knew the dire situation they were in. His Brother and him had faced the vices before after all, back in Amestris. But they’d been together then, as well as with the Colonel and his men and the rest of their allies in the military. They defeated Wrath and Pride but not by themselves. Now it was just Al and Ling and what few of the soldiers weren’t being restrained by the Pirates. And anyway, Al couldn’t put them in harm's way for something like this. But he couldn’t let Greed have the Book either.

“Al!” Ling’s voice called out once more. And as he looked up he saw the Xing Prince as he jumped down from the railing, behind Greed, “I’m not letting you fight this alone. We’re in this together.”

Startled, Al couldn’t help the small smile, even in the face of an unwinnable battle. Though maybe it wasn’t so impossible afterall. Things looked bad now but his Brother wouldn’t have given up. No, now was the time to assess and analyze exactly how they could win this, how they could get around Greed’s weapons. Ling was right, they were in this together, and maybe just fighting together could give them the chance to find Greed’s weakness. He had to have one.

“Huh. That’s pretty disappointing. You guys are stubborn,” Greed sighed. He looked back at Al again, eyes narrowing and body crouching down as he got ready to attack, “You might actually make me regret killing you.”

They got ready, hands tightening around their weapons and feet shifting purposefully across the deck. But the moment the Captain looked ready to pounce, the entire ship rocked violently. Listing to one side, every occupant on deck was thrown, chimera and guard alike. Al just barely managed from sliding down by planting his spear into the deck and bracing his weight on it. Ling managed to grab onto a nearby column beneath the railing while Greed sent his claw’s into the deck for support.

The ship rocked again in the other direction, giving the three barely enough time to correct their holds and keep from falling. Then it emerged from the side of the ship, from beneath the waves. The long, dark tentacle winded up and gripped the mast, followed immediately by several more. Then, the body of the beast pulled its giant weight onto the ship, bright red eyes darting around the deck. It landed on the three still standing.

“What. The fuck.” Greed hissed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are finally beginning to get exciting. I think we're pretty much done with set up now and are getting into the rising action. More characters will get introduced but now only as more inciting incidents call for them. And thanks so much again for reading! This story has gotten pretty fun and I'm really hopeful about finishing it.
> 
> Also feel free to let me know what you think so far in the comments below!  
> Until next chapter, Mwah!


	5. The Sea Monster

Al knew that his journey across the East Ocean, totting along the Book of Truth, would never have been easy. Over his childhood spent traveling, fighting and discovering anything and everything long thought to be impossible, he’d come to appreciate preparing for the impossible. And yet somehow in all of his preplanning for their trip he wouldn’t have guessed to be simultaneously attacked by a band of chimera pirates, captained by the embodiment of avarice, while being attacked by a sea monster that took up well over half the ship’s deck.

“Well-” The pirate captain started, turning to his toppled crew at the end of the deck whose bodies were entangled with those of the ship’s guards, “that’s our que to leave!” And without any further order or instigation the entire boarding party made their way back onto their respective ship, jumping over the forms of the stunned soldiers. 

The two boats were still attached at the hip by the pirates’ harpoons but a few of the crew seemed ready to sever the ropes and free them. Al and Ling’s attention was split between the sight of the Captain jumping up onto the edge of the deck railing and the writhing form of the sea monster as their own guards took back up arms to defend against it.

“Hey!” Ling finally shouted towards the Captain, breaking the pair from their state of shock. Miraculously, Greed actually stopped and turned slightly to address them.

“You’re just going to run away?” Al asked, spear loosened in his hands. Greed sighed and smiled uneasily.

“Look kid, I know when a fight isn’t going in my favor.” He said.

“So after all that, you’re giving up?” Ling looked aghast. Greed appeared to consider his words a moment before smirking far too nonchalant for the situation.

“Uh, yeah.” He replied.

Though they barely had time to fully process Greed’s response before the ship was without warning rocked and crashed against the waves again. Occupants of both ships cried out as they were thrown. Greed just managed to hang onto the rope from the mast and avoid plummeting into the waves, but he watched with a sudden horror as one of the vivid green tentacles came down from above, crashing into the water between the two ships and breaking the harpoons that had been holding them together. The same harpoons that had also been keeping the pirates’ ship within reach for their Captain to jump back on board. Without any time to act the same tentacle swept out, hitting against the opposing ship and thrusting it farther away before curling back around the Xerxesian vessel. 

Greed gaped as his grip on the rope tightened, watching his ship being swept farther and farther away and his crew calling for him. This was not good. Their world was shaken yet again, more of the beast’s arms falling over the deck and splitting up the groups of guards as many continued to push forward with their weapons, slashing out. The sea monster glowered at the masses, curling its arms up and sweeping them down, knocking the soldiers back. A few stabbed the arms as they were hit, but their attacks seemed to do little to nothing beyond angering the monster.

Greed jumped back down from the railing just as one of those very arms came crashing his way, knocking down stacks of the barrels into the Captain. His grey shield quickly encompassed most of his body except for his head, letting him get hit and roll away unharmed. He stood back up almost exactly where he had been before, facing off against the Princes. Only now the two had their weapons drawn towards the beast, defending against its protruding arms. 

Its sharp eyes glowered before suddenly opening a mouth obstructed previously by its tentacles, shooting out a long, thorned tongue. The thing was aimed for Al, who just managed to get out of the way with the help of Ling pulling on the back of his tunic. The pair nearly crumpled to the ground as they watched the wood crack beneath the projectile before being pulled back up into the sea creature’s mouth.

“Hmm…” something was clicking within the Captain’s mind as he watched this unfold. His eyes darted around the deck, between the soldiers, the Princes, and finally- the overturned crates. Some of their contents had been broken open and spilled on the deck, a myriad of small explosives. And like a puzzle, it clicked in Greed’s mind. He smirked over at the other two, “I’ve got a great idea.”

“What? What is it?” Al gasped out, just avoiding a plank of wood as it splintered and flew through the air towards them.

“And why on earth should we trust you?” Ling injected, his expression hardened.

“Because now I’m stuck in the same boat as you two and true to my nature I prefer to live and steal another day-” He replied quickly, eye twitching irritably as he jumped back from the body of a soldier who was thrown, and who promptly jumped up again to charge the beast, “Now just listen. Xing lord-or whatever-throw me your sword!”

Ling balked indignantly for a moment at the thought of throwing away the sword with his clan’s crest on it to a pirate, clutching the hilt of the blade protectively. But suddenly the ship quaked yet again and a loud groan from below indicated an impending give to the wood holding them up. Al gave him a pleading look. He relented and with a childish expression Ling tossed the sword towards Greed.

He caught it easily and clutched the blade of the sword in his mouth as he dashed towards the broken boxes. He gathered dozens and dozens of the small explosives and wrapped them up in the netting that had once encased the crates. The bundle created a kind of sack that he held over his shoulder before running back over to the two. He took the sword from his mouth and grinned like a maniac before suddenly shouting.

“Hey ugly!” Al and Ling gawked at him and the beast as it turned its glare back towards them, “Over here!”

Without further warning the monster lifted its tentacles and shot the same thorned tongue down at the trio. Greed pushed them, knocking the two out of the way and as the appendage reached the deck he thrust forward. The sword impaled the tongue down into the deck, green puss shooting from the new wound and hitting the Captain. Greed looped the netting of the bomb sack around the hilt of the sword and stepped back again, taking a moment to be repulsed at the green slime. Al and Ling watched in rapt awe as the sea monster threw itself side to side trying to get free, each movement loosening the sword and rocking the ship.

But Al quickly saw a flaw in the plan, noting the means to their victory, the bombs, had not been lit. How did Greed forget to light the bombs? The Prince startled and quickly pinwheeled his head around them, looking for a flame. His eyes fell on a lantern by one of the doors to the lower decks and he dashed for it. Grabbing it, Al ran over to the explosives, removed the casing of the lantern and lit the longest fuse with the flame. He jumped away just as the monster thrust its body again to the side, abruptly dislodging its tongue. Ling watched forlorn as his sword disappeared into the maw of the beast along with the net of bombs.

“Get ready for Sushi,” Greed said victoriously, ignoring for the moment his soiled shirt.

There was a hushed moment of pause as they all watched intently as the beast stilled, raising up slightly as if taking notice of what exactly had gone into its mouth. A heartbeat later and it rumbled, the body bulging momentarily as its eyes widened. But then nothing. There was no catalyst to the monster’s end. Although a moment later its mouth reappeared as the deck was coated in thick piles of chunky bile, assumed remnants of whatever the sea creature had eaten before then.

The sludge splattered across the deck, hitting whatever unfortunate guards were nearby and puddled outward like mud. The trio jumped back as it quickly creeped towards them and drowned their boots. The smell was something akin to rotting meat and fish poo. Greed groaned distastefully, noting his ruined shoes in addition now to his shirt. Ling just barely managed to hold back a gag whilst Al decided turning his nose and his eyes upwards would keep the worst of the smell away from him. As unhelpful as this movement ended up being, it had drawn something to the Prince’s attention.

Peering up towards the main mast it looked as if one of the overhanging top sail beams had a splintering crack almost right down the middle. At this point the topsail was only held aloft by the series of ropes tying it up to the mast. But if those ropes were to be cut...in a specific order...Al followed his mind’s eye down and landed on the sea monster. His gears whirred, spinning in tandem before all coming to a grinding halt. 

“I have another idea.”

Greed and Ling simultaneously looked up at Al, who’s gaze had gone back to the main mast. They followed his line of sight, saw it, and looked back at him. By their expressions they didn’t seem to see yet what he saw. But that was okay, he didn’t need them to understand, not quite yet at least.

“Greed, do you think you can keep its attention down here? But keep it in one place.” Al asked, looking towards the Pirate Captain. Greed appeared thrown for a moment before shrugging it off.

“Yeah, probably. I’m pretty good at being the center of attention.” He grinned.

“Good. Ling?” Al drew his friend’s attention, turning to look back down at the gold spear in his hands. He placed one hand in the center of the long shaft before the ever-familiar streak of lightning split off from beneath his fingers. The shaft split in half, the end forming into a new, thinner weapon that resembled a short sword. “Can you follow me up the mast?” Though startled, Ling didn’t waste any time and took the golden sword handed to him. His expression hardened and he smiled at the other prince. And without any other words, the two began dashing towards the main mast.

The creature’s tentacles and the onslaught of battle were major barriers in their path, the appendages writhing along the deck and tangling around soldiers and stray barrels. Wood kicked up and for a moment the possibility of the deck caving in felt very real. They had to hurry. Al could hear Greed shouting behind them, taunts and verbal jabs aimed at the beast. This at least gave the pair some even ground as the tentacles moved in a new direction, rage evident in its bright eyes. The moment they made it to the mast Al jumped up, thrusting his shortened spear into the thick wood and using it to pull his weight up. Ling watched and immediately copied his movements. In quick time the two scaled the thick wood pillar and reached the top, their feet landing on the broken beam of the top sail.

Al was slightly out of breath as he stepped up to grab onto the main lines of rope still holding up the cracked middle of the topsail. But looking down, he knew they didn’t have any time to let their breath catch up with them. He looked over to Ling, realizing he had been looking down too, meeting Al’s eyes open and determined to act quickly. Who knew how long they had before the ship cracked apart and sent them all into the ocean’s abyss. He only hoped now that a little extra damage wouldn’t be the thing to seal their fate.

“So, what is the plan?” Ling asked, straightening up.

“There’s not really enough time to explain, sooo-” Al felt a little sheepish but hoped Ling could trust him enough to follow through. This could either end up saving them or killing them. He might realize later how very-much-like his brother this plan was but, “-you’ll have to follow my lead.” 

Their eyes met and the Xerxesian Prince could see the other’s worry, just as aware of the danger as he was. But behind that was an unwavering confidence, whether that be in Al’s abilities or Ling’s better judgement in who he trusted, Al didn’t care. What mattered is Ling didn’t know exactly what they were doing but part of him knew they would do it to save the ship. They would all, including the Book of Truth, make it back to Xing. The Xingese Prince nodded his final agreement, and Al smiled despite himself. 

He then took ahold of one of the ropes latched to the top of the mast, having gone loose from the top beam’s cracking, and wound it securely around his hand. Ling did the same to the loose rope on his side of the topsail. There were two more, still taught and holding up the cracking directly between them.

“Watch me.” Al said, eyes lingering on his friend’s before turning to the rope in his grip and the closer one holding the middle of the top sail. With a single quick motion his spear tip sliced through the two ropes. One suddenly became taught in his hand whilst the other fell limp and useless below them. The crack groaned and quickly began to degrade. Then before their very eyes the top sail split completely in half. Al’s half suddenly swung back, disappearing out from beneath his feet as it fell in, pointing down towards the deck. Al didn’t have time to dangle as the momentum from the fall sent him towards the mast. He used it to kick off and jump back onto the end of his side of the top sail, still barely suspended by a cluster of creaking ropes as it slightly swayed. His footing was uncertain before he found his balance, arms spinning slightly as he reached back for the cluster of ropes with the hand still holding his spear. He looked back up at Ling.

The sudden break had thrown his side of the topsail downward, but the middle was still held mostly vertical by the last line of rope. Ling was watching Al with a stunned confusion, though as he was now being looked at expectantly. He followed Al’s actions. His ropes were cut. The topsail dipped forward and pendulumed before falling still enough for Ling to kick off the mast and land on the back end. He quickly found his balance and looked back to Al for their next move.

Al was only beaming, looking downward at the deck, with his spear raised in his other hand now at the cluster of ropes. They were the only thing holding up the topsails now. Ling followed Al’s line of sight, looking for where all the pieces of their plan fit together. And then he saw it. He laughed, hand holding his rope to the mast musing through his hair madly as he processed it. This was insane. This was brilliant. He looked back up at Al, who had already looked to him. Ling smiled, and raised his sword to his cluster of ropes. 

“1!”

Greed jumped back and rolled against the deck, just barely dodging another attempt by the sea monster to smash him. But he looked up at the excited cries of the royalty, wondering momentarily what was possessing them. Then he saw.

“2!”

He grinned ear to ear and braced himself for the finale, watching the glint of the golden weapons reach their highest peak in the air before suddenly and decisively swinging down.

“3!” 

The clusters of ropes were severed with a lightning snap. Without any further warning the topsails disappeared out from under the two’s feet and left them to swing wildly from the mast. The two halves fell straight down, the sharpened ends of the cracked middles leading their descent before they hit slimy, scaly flesh upon wicked impact.

The ensuing shriek from the beast was nearly ear popping. Every soldier almost hit the deck as they shielded their ears. Greed watched in a mad-excitement as the sea monster’s eyes bulged and then gradually fell lifeless. Its limbs curled in vain towards its body, encircling its form and its massive, green gushing wound. Then it stilled. The Creature was dead. 

A beat of silence fell over the crowded deck, as if waiting to see if it had really been done, before erupting in cheers. Many joined in saluting their Prince above them, who was still dangling from the mast. He and Ling were gently swaying, eyes alight and laughing as if they had just gotten away with something impossible. Which, perhaps they had. 

“We should do that more often, that was great!” Ling exclaimed, smile spreading across his face and beaming.

“Oh no, please,” Al sighed but couldn’t contain his laughter, “under different circumstances, maybe.”

“Still, there’s one more thing we should probably tie up, yeah?” Ling prompted. Al startled for a moment before it clicked, and this time his sigh was genuinely tired out, “Don’t worry, this time I’ve got the idea.” he added as he began climbing his rope to the top of the mast. Being the one confused this time, Al followed his lead.

Down on deck, Greed was stepping up onto the beast’s body, walking across it unevenly as the blubbery mass gave beneath his feet with each step. He was approaching the eyes, now lifeless but still partially cracked open. All brightness had vanished, no longer sharp or menacing, but completely dead. Still...there was something in them that was drawing the Captain’s attention. It looked like, maybe, there was something familiar nestled in the middle of its large pupil. It looked to be a...round symbol. 

The meaning clicked and for a moment he froze, leaning closer to make sure. But in this moment, with his senses distracted and his guard down, a sudden winding of rope found its way coiled around his body and tightened. On the uneven terrain the Pirate quite ungracefully lost his balance and fell forward, eliciting a undignified ‘oof’ as nose met scaly flesh.

“Gross.” He grumbled.

“Looks like we finally caught you!” 

He turned his head back to see the two royals, back on deck, and the Xingese Prince holding the end of the rope that restrained his arms and legs. He scoffed.

“As if rope was strong enough to hold me.” He drawled, unimpressed. He flexed his arms at his side, drawing up his grey shield as he went to snap his offending bindings. Except...they weren’t snapping. Greed blinked, then tried again. Then again, arms straining beneath his shield as he tried to break free.

“Like we’d use regular rope,” The Xerxesian Prince commented, coming up behind the other, and appearing to be adjusting a gold ornament back around his forehead, “I fashioned the rope to be much stronger using alchemy. It’s not much but it should hold you until we can get back to Xing.”

The Captain deadpanned. This was impossible--but no, nothing was impossible. But this was really fucking annoying. He was supposed to be hailing his ship to come pick him up and get him off this sinking vessel. He didn’t want to go to Xing! But...surely his crew would go there first to find him. It was the nearest continent and had been the intended destination of the Xerxesian ship to begin with. He sighed. He’d just have to wait out his inevitable escape there. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t hate it the entire time.

“Uh...Al. Speaking of,” Ling looked back to his friend and then to the rest of the decrepit ship, “how are we getting to Xing with our boat like this, huh?” At this, even Greed peered up reluctantly from his vertical position. Al groaned, finally turning to look at all the damage. 

“I’ll fix it. But it might take me a minute.” He replied, stepping off the body of the beast and landing back onto the deck. He clapped his hands together, and the familiar alchemic lightning arched off his fingers as he prepared to get to work. Kneeling down against the splintered deck, Al idly wondered just how late they were going to be now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Chapter 5, finally! New chapters will more than likely take a little bit longer now that school's back in swing for me. Also, since we're getting into the real action and meat of the story I want to make sure everything is panning out correctly. There are characters I don't want to miss introducing and giving some time to have real meaningful moments in the plot. Speaking of, next chapter should feature some long-awaited Roy Mustang. Really looking forward to writing his dialogue.
> 
> But this chapter was a doozy to write. I don't have a lot of experience writing action sequences so I hope everything read clearly. Also, had to look up boat anatomy. It is still probably not very accurate but that's okay. Also, quite a bit of foreshadowing to this chapter, leading into more major events and set up that'll be significant later. 
> 
> Really hoped you all liked this one! Feel free to leave a comment or a question below, I'm open to answering things (without giving anything away). Until next time, lots of love!


	6. Roy

A little unconventional, but not without its own merit. The Princes had defeated her sea monster. Her brother’s arrival had initially surprised her and for a moment she had been worried he might have ruined the whole thing. Turns out Greed had unintentionally given Lust exactly what she was after.

“You played your part well,” Lust drawled, finger sweeping over the crystal clear pool, her spyglass into the mortal world.

Rings began to spot its surface. Her dark hair cascaded down her shoulders as she leaned over the pool, eyes glinting, devilment pulling her full lips into a sultry smile. Black strands floated and curled on the water’s surface, framing her view of the Xerxesian ship as it became alight by the blue alchemic lightning. She tutted, watching the broken planks smooth out, yet unable to extend that repair to the paint or lacquer. The vessel would hold the scars of its battle for a while longer. She raised up, curls sweeping from the viewing pool into the weightless atmosphere of her netherworld, brushing against glistening particles that seemed to swim with an unreadable direction. Hair swirled as she careened her head back, hands still gripping either side of the pool. The shadowed silhouette of her pet came into view from the starlight mist, bright red eyes meeting her own.

It bowed its head for a moment before its eyes closed and it lifted up. Coiling tentacles parted to reveal its mouth as the thorned tongue fell out lethargically. Lust glided forward, releasing the pool as she caught the glint of her prize resting there, no longer impaled in her pet’s maw as it had entered. With a smooth, satisfied laugh she plucked the blade up between her fingers, dwarfed by her monumental size. Lust brought it closer, inspecting the hilt and finding just what she needed engraved into the handle; the crest of the Yao clan. Her other hand found itself beneath her beast, drawing from it a gravely purr as she stroked its under belly.

“Everything is going perfectly,” She laughed, eyes turning back towards the spyglass pool with devilish intent, “Now it’s my turn.”

____________________________

Ed wasn’t worried. No, not one bit. Because he knew his little brother was just as capable as himself if not more so when challenged, physically or otherwise. And Al was smart, he always had a plan before going into a tentative situation if given the right amount of time, and he’d had months to prepare before they transferred the Book of Truth from Xerxes to Xing. Of course there was little chance they’d be able to avoid trouble in this endeavor, as nice a thought as it was. But Al could handle it, no matter the situation. Even if his ship’s arrival was already exceeding twenty four hours since it was expected, Ed knew his brother was fine.

So if anyone asked if the Prince was worried, they’d have zero reason to suggest that he was. That’s right, absolutely none. Nevermind that he was skipping out on the welcoming banquet that afternoon, accepting the remaining dignitaries and representatives from Amestris, the country he acted as ambassador for. This was naturally unrelated to Alphonse’s absence. And regardless of the fact that he was currently ghosting the windowsill of one of the vacant stairwells that looked west onto the East Ocean, aimed over the docks. He held no feelings of strife whatsoever as he stood there fidgeting with the hem of his long sleeve.

He wasn’t dressed as a Prince for the time being, wearing only some of the comfortable first layers of his traditional robes and wrappings; a red shirt with a high collar and long sleeves. He’d also opted to wear his preferred trousers, simply black and simply leather. Though he would have been far more comfortable if the situation was different...again not that he was worried about anything specifically.

...

Okay maybe he was a little. But surely he had every right to be as a big brother. Al was all grown up but it was still his responsibility to look after him, dammit. Ed would say it a hundred times over, Al was smart, strong and extremely resourceful. But unfortunately that didn’t make him infallible, because there truly was no such thing.

Additionally, Ed hadn’t needed to worry like this for a long time. Since they had resettled their lives in Xerxes and adjusted to their new roles, life had fallen into a kind of peace that was very easy to lose yourself to. And they almost could, if it wasn’t for the sheer foreignness of it, the mundane. And the nightmares were persistent, for them both; the shadows that had followed them for years would always peek their heads about the corners behind them every now and then. But beyond this, nothing had struck their lives quite so exciting or dangerous for one to worry about the other for it. 

And despite their distance for most of the year, Ed and Al had determinedly stayed connected via letter. Hence how both became certain that the other still had nightmares. Who else could they tell about them? But this was also how Ed knew that nothing quite so detrimental to their relative peace had threatened them for such a long time. It was bizarre to think about. Several years ago had he’d been asked what he saw himself doing at this point, Ed likely would have answered with something along the lines of- ‘probably busy being a corpse,’ in full seriousness. Al and him had been so close to danger so frequently and more often than not being threatened by something, that the idea that he’d be able to live through it to survive well into his twenties had been far fetched. Not to mention the overall poor opinion he’d had of himself back then (yeah, and admittedly still working on it). At the time he’d been motivated to survive for Al’s sake, for the sole purpose of getting his brother’s body back. It had taken most of that journey in restoring Al for Ed to be able to find an additional motivation to live, simply to live. To protect Al, to protect his people, to protect life period.

Ed could never give back the years taken from them for what they’d done, for what he’d done. But dammit all, he could be sure that Al got the chance to make up for lost time and enjoy everyone one of those years he still had. And Ed would make sure there were plenty. 

Only now, standing there alone in the stairwell, he was left with the foreboding reality that Al was out there where he couldn’t protect him, facing most certain dangerous odds. That was frustrating, and probably a relatively fair reason to be worried. So he wasn’t worried without good reason, of course. The thought wasn’t very comforting at all, granted ‘comfort’ wasn’t exactly his subconscious’s forte. Neither was self assurance or overall calm, really. And there he was in a painfully peaceful palace where his mind currently felt quite the opposite. Maybe his avoidance of the welcome banquet had added motivations to it then. Ed didn’t think he could be around a bustling crowd of bureaucrats and royalty right then when all he could think about was the serious trouble Al could be in. And why weren’t they all as concerned about it as he was? How could anyone drink and eat contentedly, knowing Al, and the Book of Truth he guessed, were over a day late?

Mind racing as it was, Ed never noticed that he was no longer the sole occupant of the western facing stairwell. Understandably then he startled the moment he heard the voice, familiar or not, almost directly behind him.

“Tired from the facade already, Fullmetal?”

All hairs on end, Ed turned quickly to see who had snuck up on him and promptly frowned in sheer annoyance. The bastard General’s smile really did just irk that kind of a reaction on impulse.

“Or, did you come up here to look down and feel just a little ta-” Mustang’s smile was widening when Ed promptly cut him off.

“Shut the hell up, asshole!” He nearly seethed, just barely steeling himself away from a physical reaction. No, he wouldn’t give the other the satisfaction just yet, as much as he wanted to kick the goblet he held in his hand to the floor.

Mustang finally came to a pause, standing directly beside him on the landing and looking down. Ed’s temper continued to flare as despite his significant growth spurt, he’d remained a few inches shorter than the once-Colonel. Thus the now-General left no opportunity unturned to continue teasing him about his height. And Ed took every chance he got to berate the Flame Alchemist for anything and everything, their respective titles be damned. Speaking of which…

“You sure took your damn time in getting here. Were you that hesitant to be suspended on a body of water?” Ed jabbed at the other, not getting as satisfying a reaction as he was hoping for just yet. Though he expertly noticed the manner in which the General’s eyebrow twitched irritably.

“As a matter of fact, I got held up in Central. Not long after you left we found a mole leaking military secrets to Drachma. There’s a lot of paperwork involved with these matter you know.” Mustang replied, raising the goblet to take a small sip. Ed could smell the distinct red wine.

“A likely excuse.” Ed smiled discreetly at the second twitch.

“What yours then, Royal Ambassador?” Mustang jabbed back. The new title of his once-subordinate still felt wrong saying out loud, though it improved marginally when he was able to use it to push his buttons “You’re supposed to be downstairs, mingling like the rest of us.”

Ed turned away then, looking back out the window with his lips set firmly into a frown. “Didn’t feel like playing palace is all…” The reasoning was half baked and Roy caught it easily. He studied the younger momentarily, hiding it with another sip from the cup. Ed looked tired. This wasn’t unusual per say, but maybe more tired than normal. His shoulders slumped as if they were heavier and the lines beneath his eyes became ever slightly more prominent. Ed always had a tendency that kept him from being still, but the fidgeting of the fingers on the hem of his shirt was rapidly pulling the threads into fraying.

Mustang then followed his ex-subordinate’s line-of-sight out the window, and decided he’d caught on to what was keeping his mind so occupied. Al’s ship was late, and Ed was watching the docks like a hawk. This didn’t end up taking a lot of detective work on his part.

“How is the Lieutenant Colonel? Did she come too?” Ed broke the brief silence, still looking away from him. He was talking about Hawkeye, and while Roy could tell the younger was deflecting, he knew he was still genuinely curious how she was.

“She did. Helped me sneak away actually.” He replied, ‘to come find you’ was left unsaid. Because truth be told, the relationship Hawkeye and he had shared with the ex-state alchemist had grown since his return to Amestris. They worked together and though the dynamic had changed, the underlying feelings held all the same. Ed may be a Prince and an Ambassador now, he may even have been well into his twenties and no longer considered a kid, yet that’s still what he was to them. He’d matured and grown, hell-he’d defeated a pair of god like deities bent on using Amestris to create a philosopher’s stone- but part of them would still always see the fire-filled twelve year old that walked into Central to become a State Alchemist. Mustang supposed that meant he felt a sort of responsibility for the other’s welfare, despite not being his real father. 

Somewhere in the cosmos, Maes Hughes was cackling. He just knew it.

“What about Al? How’s he been?” Mustang toed the line experimentally. Ed was quiet for a moment before responding, his arms crossed over his front. It was a kind of protective physical reaction, feigning confidence in its absence.

“He’s been alright.” Ed’s response came out clipped, and anyone else would have interpreted it to either end the conversation or change subjects. But Mustang knew better.

“I’m sure he is, Ed.” Mustang persisted, going so far as to place a comforting hand on the younger’s shoulder. He tensed up at the contact, but gradually the muscles relaxed. Mustang heard the briefest sigh escape the other, just barely above a whisper.

“Yeah. I’m sure he is.” Ed replied, his tone not half as biting as it had been. Reluctantly he relented to the other’s gesture, the only semblance of comfort he’d experienced in the past twenty four hours. For a short moment silence fell over them, and the tension eased away almost completely. They stared out onto the western view of the Ocean, the afternoon sun overcast by long lines of misted clouds. Mustang felt the shoulder beneath his hand gradually slumping and he shifted his eyes down.

Of course Ed would still be worried, but with the tension easing away so was his ability to stay off his own exhaustion. His eye lids fell dangerously low though he refused to remove them from the ocean’s expanse. Roy sighed. He used his hand to coerce the younger into turning towards him.

“Go get some rest, Fullmetal. Al will be here soon and I’m positive he won’t appreciate you collapsing the moment he does.” Ed’s eyes twitched like he was ready to fight back against the assertion, but the energy just couldn’t match up.

“You talk like you can still give me orders, old man.” Ed glared halfheartedly. If Roy had been taking a sip of the wine at that moment he would have certainly choked. Instead he managed to hold his frustration back for the time being.

“Let’s pretend that I am,” He asserted, “Just this once.” 

Ed watched him for a moment, uncommitted to his glare, lacking its fire. Then finely seeming to give in, he let a deep breath escape. Turning his head back out to the window with a sense of finality, he began to reply.

“Yeah, maybe-” Then he stopped, eyes blowing wide as he went very very still. Suddenly he was bursting out from under Roy’s hand and was up against the window, hands propped on the sill. 

Startled, Roy looked at where his hand floated and then back at Ed, before joining him closer at the window. He leaned forward and looked. Ed was smiling, beaming almost. And then he saw it. The little speck of a ship coming off the horizon.

“Is that-”

Roy didn’t get the chance to finish before Ed was pushing away and nearly scurrying down the stairwell. The General looked after him before breaking from his trance and attempting to follow.

“Wait! Ed, you don’t even know for certain if that’s Al’s ship!” He reasoned. And as much as he wanted it to be, Ed still in theory needed sleep.

“I know it is!” Ed called back, skipping over two steps at a time. Roy groaned, and absolutely did not huff to catch his breath as he continued to race after the other. It was as apparent as ever that Ed wasn’t going to listen to him, his mind was set on this. But-

“Ed! They even won’t let you onto the boarding dock looking like that. Atleast get your-”

“Crown! Dammit!” Ed exclaimed, suddenly coming to a halt before turning around and rushing past the General as he went back up the stairs. Roy openly sighed as he stopped and dejectedly started back up the stairs as well. He had gotten the kid to stop and think, on the bright side, but following his fast form as it rushed up the stairs was decidedly worse.

They passed the window on their way back up and Ed flew past it, on a mission. Roy slowed down just enough to spot the ship again. It was still so far enough away that he couldn’t make out any detail of it. But Ed’s certainty was always a little contagious, and there was a pull of relief deep in his gut he’d been trying to ignore. Of course, Al really was alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! The Sixth Chapter! Al and Ling have made it to Xing and so has the Book. So from here on you can expect a lot of inciting action. We're coming to the catalyst for the rest of the story. 
> 
> Also, if I forgot to mention it before, this story kind of follows from Brotherhood, with one of the biggest distinction being there was no Father and all the homunculi are just demi-gods. So the events of Brotherhood are set with Pride and Wrath as the main antagonists, with essentially the same conclusion. 
> 
> And I've been anxiously waiting to write a parental Roy scene. I love that kind of interpretation of their relationship and I hope I hit the mark here. I'm also hoping to write more down the line, because this definitely isn't the last time Roy's in the story. But soon enough it will be very Ling, Greed and Ed heavy in focus. And who knows, maybe next chapter Ling and Ed will actually get to interact? That's the next milestone to meet.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this update! I really appreciate all the attention this fic has gotten so far. I hope I'm able to complete the next chapter soon enough. Until then, lots of love!


	7. Lan Fan

Repairs to the ship had been easier than they first looked, yet caused a significant delay in the Xerxesian ship’s arrival. Granted, all things considered in what it took getting them there, Ling thought Alphonse had made great time. Although, the ship still looked as though it had come out of battle; significant sections of wood from the railings and roofs had been consolidated and used to repair the deck and mast, as well as seel up thin patches where the hull had been scraped or splintered from the brawl. Less important, but quite more noticeable, a majority of the ship’s once fine finishes and artisanal detailing had been ruined. To say the least, the entire picture had caused a bit of commotion upon their arrival.

Parties were waiting for them on land the moment they had been spotted from afar. There were palace officials from Xing and dignitaries from Xerxes at the forefront and right behind them stood a couple handfuls of guards and soldiers from both nations, practically shoulder to shoulder. But not long after their vessel became more clear to those on land, a medical team joined the crowd. This was much to Alphonse’s relief. They had been extremely lucky not to have lost anyone to the fight, but many were still wounded. The bridge was lowered from the ship, hit the dock and it took all of Al’s self control to disembark with the confidence and level-headedness a prince was expected to have. He didn’t necessarily have it, but he had gotten pretty exceptional at faking it.

There was a representative of Xing there to meet them and Al tried to remember their name-Chen, one of a small party of prominent council men with influence to the Emperor. Right next to him was the speaker for the Xerxes Parliament, Adolpha, and none other than his older brother, Edward. Al should have been surprised to see him, considering Ed wasn’t planned to be a part of the greeting party during preplanning. But it made perfect sense to the younger Prince that Ed would make sure to be there regardless, he really was overprotective like that, and he looked as though he was trying just as hard to practice the same self control Al way. 

Alphonse quickly bowed and greeted Chen before jumping over customs, he needed to get the soldiers off the ship and treated. Quickly the medical staff were rushed on board along with roughly half of the guards present. Their priority rather was in protecting the Book.

Ling realized pretty quickly that there wasn’t going to be much opportunity for him to sneak away after their arrival. He wasn’t supposed to be on the ship after all, his presence was a matter of both selfish curiosity and opportunity. The sun hung high in the late afternoon sky, the bridges leading off the boat were blocked by guards and representatives from the two countries and any attempt to jump into the ocean and swim away would have been instantly noticed. Ling considered he’d rather be caught there on purpose than by accident, or in the act of trying to flee. If he pretended like he was meant to be there then at least he could save face. So the heir resigned himself to disembarking after the Xerxesian Prince and meeting the shocked expressions of the Xing council members present. He noted mournfully that none present were from his clan but rather from a couple of his larger competitors. Chen was present, not overtly hostile to the Yao clan, but not terribly kind either. Ling also quickly noticed that the older Xerxesian Prince was present. With a mental stumble, Ling tried to remember the report on the welcoming party mentioning the Prince’s presence on the docks, and could not. Yikes.

Ling had only seen the man once before in person, when the announcement of Xing’s cooperation with Xerxes’s plan to unite the nations had first been made. It had been from across the large, grand hall that encompassed the Emperor’s throne room, hosting nearly every important person from each respective country. This included nearly every heir. There had been a feast following the decree, celebrating the Book of Truth and the promise of the future. Then, Ling had actively avoided seeing the Prince again, as had his other half-brothers and sisters. It was likely that if any one of them (with any real chance at the throne) had been seen speaking with the Royal Ambassador of Amestris, they could have very well expected to wake up the next morning greeted by a handful of assassins. This wasn’t to say that Ling didn’t want to speak with him, or maybe first to meet him. In fact, after hearing Al speak about his brother as fondly as he so often did, he wanted to meet the man responsible for many of the shared stories. Of course, circumstances got in the way of that. Ling however was resolved to meet the Prince officially-when he became Emperor.

But there he was, and Ling was definitely not the Emperor yet and was undoubtedly somewhere he wasn’t supposed to be to begin with. He wouldn’t let his nerves translate into an expression but he would be lying if he said he wasn’t at all concerned. Many members of his rival clans, counsel members and guards alike, were witnessing him within the presence of the older Prince of Xerxes. This wasn’t ideal. Resisting the urge to jump off the dock and swim for shore, Ling steeled himself and kept only a step behind Alphonse. He would have to roll with this.

“Young Lord of the Yao clan,” 

Ling turned to the voice and realized with extreme displeasure that the elder council member from the Hou clan was there as well. Their heir, Chao, was likely the most aggressive candidate for Emperor, unofficially responsible for handfuls of assassinations, successful or otherwise. That the elder was speaking to him now did not bode well.

“We were unaware you would be present on this voyage. Can you explain this?” The man had his hands tucked dignified behind his back, standing proud amongst the crowd. Though, for a moment, the picture of a snarl graced his lips. 

“Easily,” Ling replied as he scrambled to think of a convincing lie, “I considered the route of the Xerxesian ship, and the dangers that might threaten either the Prince or the Book. I realized they would benefit to have my presence and my blades on board.” It was a half-truth, if he thought about it. And much to his relief, the councilmembers seemed unable or unwilling to challenge his explanation. And though their warning glances continued, Chen and Hou turned their attentions back to Alphonse.

“Your Majesty, what exactly happened on your voyage that brought so much damage to your ship?” Chen asked the younger. Al allowed a controlled sigh.

“Well, first…”

\----------------------

The injured soldiers were brought off the ship and taken to be properly treated, and with great relief none were fatally wounded. All present on the dock watched with apt attention as four guards hefted the Book of Truth off the boat. It was carried upon the same pillar that erected it within the ship, long staffs jutting out from four sides used to lift it up. It was undoubtedly heavy although Ed noted the selected guards to escort it were some of the largest among them, and they didn’t seem to be having any trouble. Rather it seemed the only problem came with keeping their attention focused. 

The Book of Truth’s stunning white light projected beams out from its middle seam like rays, pages illuminating the already bright early evening. Wisps of luminance spun and careened from the Book, moving with a confident, decided path before returning to the pages. The sun struggled to maintain its brilliance by comparison. The guards carrying the thick poles over their backs and holding up the shortened pedestal were fitted with darkened blinders, keeping their gazes down and as unobstructed by the display as possible. They were then surrounded by a handful of the guards brought by each nation, and escorted off the dock. 

The Xerxes Parliament and Xing Council members flittered about their corner of the port, exchanging congratulations and other pleasantries while the younger nobility took the opportunity to leave unnoticed. Ed very decisively pulled his younger brother around the shoreline building and down alleyways until they were clear of guard and stiff grandee alike. Al, startled at first, quickly caught up and was running beside Edward, in sync as the two made their way towards the palace. Soon, Alphonse was the one leading the way, pulling his older brother along as they twisted behind columns and through vacant, noble gardens. The sun was gradually falling closer and closer to meet the horizon when they arrived. Al’s home away from home, his suite within the palace as Royal Ambassador. They ducked in the door and the moment it was closed Al whirled around to meet his brother’s manic grin.

“What the fuck, Al?” Ed quietly shouted, slapping the younger on the back, “I let you go on one harrowing sea venture and you get attacked by Pirates and a Sea Monster?” Granted at this point the initial shock was worn away and replaced with a familial pride. Because of course, only Alphonse would be able to simultaneously attract the attention of Pirates and Sea Monsters while also equally as able to fend them off. Only Alphonse.

“Well, it’s not like I got a say in it?” Al hunched over slightly following the blow, before glancing over at Edward with a sheepish grin.

“ And capturing the Captain? Holy shit, you are just asking to have your life threatened,” Ed was trying to sound contrite but the illusion was ruined by the unwavering smile.

“Oh!” It occurred to Al suddenly, “The Captain! Ed, he’s Greed! The Greed!”

“What...wait, you don’t mean like-”

“Yes! One of the seven vices!” Al probably sounded more excited than he ought to be, considering the implications of that.

“Does that mean,” Ed seemed more serious now, his gaze focused down before looking back up at his little brother with barely veiled concern, “Do you think he wanted revenge against you for what happened to Wrath and Pride?”

Alphonse hadn’t exactly been the one to kill them, not directly at least. No, the stubborn idiot had gone and given his soul back for Ed’s arm, so he could kick Pride’s ass, fistfighting the god-like being into oblivion. Mustang and Hawkeye meanwhile had taken care of Wrath, the now-General having nearly lost his eyesight following the close battle. And of course...then Edward relinquished his Alchemy to Truth in order to restore Alphonse, all of him this time. As Ed stood there now, he was beginning to worry frantically that Al could be put in danger-again-for something that was really Edward’s fault.

“I really don’t think so,” Al replied, causing Ed to startle from his thoughts, “He didn’t even mention them. He was only interested in getting the Book.”

“Huh…” Ed meandered over to one of the windows in the large sitting room they’d entered, flopping down on the cushioned seat of the sill, “I guess that should be a relief?” He was definitely more at ease after hearing that, though the uncertainty lingered. 

“But the way he fought,” Al was pacing the floor slightly in front of Ed, walking back and forth as he spoke. As he had settled back into his body and healed, the younger had unconsciously become more prone to mindless moving about, “he wasn’t easy to beat! Really, if we hadn’t been distracted by the Sea Creature, I don’t know if we would have been able to figure out how to stop him in time.”

Edward regarded the developing bruise on his brother’s jaw, blooming purple as the other spoke. 

“Oh and the crew!” Alphonse turned suddenly to the other, “Brother they were human chimera!”

Ed could barely process the icy chill that ran over his heart. But Alphonse was still talking.

“But they looked human when they arrived. When the fight started they were able to shift their forms and become something more animalistic. And they appeared to be completely self-aware, unlike…” Al trailed off.

“Not like Nina?” Ed asked it so quietly the words barely carried across the room.

“...no. Not at all.” Al was still now, standing there looking far off. The silence was brief before Edward realized he needed to break it.

“So this Greed guy could be trouble. Him and his pirates.” Edward was hoping his tone could breach the somber atmosphere, with mixed success. Alphonse looked up, coming back to himself as he turned to Ed.

“Yeah. And I’m not positive how long the binds I made can contain him,” Al shifted slightly to sit down on the window sill too, “Although, he didn’t seem overly concerned that he’d been captured. And didn’t make any attempts to escape. Ling thinks he’s waiting for something.”

That reminded Ed, “Oh yeah, what was that Ling guy doing on board? Really?” Edward had smelled the half-baked lie with ease, he’d made enough himself to know. And admittedly seeing the man descend the ship ramp behind Al had been confusing when the Councilmen revealed him to be one of the heirs. Ed didn’t exactly keep up with any of the Xing heirs besides Mei. They weren’t his problem until they were, or that’s how he looked at it. So what had he been doing on the ship? 

Alphonse’s expression shifted back to sheepish, “Oh, Ling? Well, he’d kind of snuck on board. He wanted to see the Book in person before the ceremony.” It wasn’t a lie at least.

Ed however looked unimpressed, if not down right distrustful. Al sighed dejectedly.

“Hey, I know Ling. He’s okay. Yeah, he wants to be Emperor, but I think it’s really for the right reasons.” Alphonse said, gently assertive as he met Ed’s gaze. At that, the older brother’s expression softened considerably. He sighed and leaned further back on the window.

“Okay, so tell me about the Sea Monster. What did it look like?” Ed wanted to shift the conversion, but also he was genuinely fascinated and wanted every detail. However, the moment Al looked to excitedly open his mouth to answer, they were interrupted as the suite door swung open and closed quickly. The brother’s jumped before turning to see Mei standing there, huge smile plastered across her face.

“Alphonse, you’re back!” She exclaimed, skipping across the room to their window. And Al jumped up to meet her part of the way. Ed watched as with a kind of fond habit the two’s arms knew exactly how to embrace one another as they hugged. It was short and sweet before they pulled apart. The older could barely hide his smile as he watched.  
Al deserved this.

“I’m so glad you’re back safe! I heard what happened,” Mei’s expression shifted to something more serious, fearful even, as she regarded Al and appeared to be picking out the new discrepancies across his person. But before she could consider using her Alkahestry on him, Al put his hands upon her shoulders comfortingly.

“I’m fine, Mei. I promise!” He started quickly, meeting her eyes and trying to sound as sincere as possible.

“Yeah Mei,” Ed piped in, shifting on his seat to face the two, “Don’t you know that nothing can touch this guy, not while his big brother has anything to say about it.” He elbowed Al from his sitting position, who looked about ready to groan, all the while grinning.

“Oh yeah, sure,” Mei rolled her eyes as exaggerated as she could, placing her hands on her hips, “Cause you’re so infallible.”

“As a matter of fact-” Ed was cut off as Mei laughed and spoke quickly.

“No, stop! Put that attitude towards getting ready.” She sneered playfully, gesturing unspecifically towards the other rooms off from the sitting area.

The two brothers stopped and regarded her blankly for a moment, configuring the hidden meaning of her words. Al startled as it hit him. “It’s already time for the ceremony?” He shouted.

“No no no!” Mei injected quickly, “But it will be soon! And you two haven’t even started getting ready. Especially you-” She pointed at Alphonse, “you need to get cleaned up after your voyage!”

“You’re right,” Alphonse allowed a dejected moan, as if it was only then occurring to him how exhausted he was. Every muscle in his body was sore, “I need a bath.”

Instinctively, Edward sniffed the air and proceeded to grimace, “Yeah, you smell like fish. Bad fish.”

“As compared to good fish smell.” Al teased, hand reaching up to remove the crown from his brow. Ed went to finally stand next to them, placing a hand on his brother’s shoulder.

“Come on, stink man, let’s fix you up.”

\----------------------

“You stink.”

Ling would have jumped and drawn his blade if he hadn’t known who it was already. He had been able to feel her coming since he’d disembarked the Xerxes vessel and since snuck away from the crowd of nobles.

“Do you mean literally, or metaphorically?” He asked, smiling as he turned and looked up. There Lan Fan hung, her calves wrapped around the wooden beam that stretched across the two buildings in the quiet alley. But quickly she moved, pushing the weight of her body up and down to swivel over the beam and onto the ground. She stood before him, with her hood drawn up and her mask obscuring her face. Although, Ling could easily read the aura seeping off her in waves; something falling between fond annoyance and rage.

“Both.” She replied, her tone formal but clipped.

“Oh, come on Lan Fan! Is that anyway to talk to the future Emperor?” He chided, smiling wide and easy. Remarkably her demeanor did not shift.

“May I have permission then to speak freely, my Lord?” She asked, her dark eyes visible from under the mask and unwavering from his.

“Huh? Oh, sure.” He replied, smiling persistently though he knew what was to come. The fighter took a steady breath feigning an air of serenity.

“What were you thinking!!” She barked and despite himself, Ling jumped. “Sneaking off and away from us, Me especially! And look at what happened! You could have gotten killed putting yourself in harm's way on that boat!”

“Ah, but look, I didn’t!” Ling admitted he was probably being much to cheery about this and could have possibly only been angering his friend more. Which, as much fun as that often was, part of him really did want to reassure her.

“That’s not the point! Anything could have happened. You’re too important for us to lose you meaninglessly on some spontaneous voyage. And without me to protect you.” Lan Fan’s hands were fisted at her sides as her voice became quieter and less angry the more she spoke. until she seemed to have run out of things to say. Ling regarded her.

He’d grown up with Lan Fan. They’d had different paths to follow from the very beginning but they’d pretty much always been side by side. Lan Fan’s grandfather had trained them both to fight and to read the dragon’s pulse, and very quickly Lan Fan had ascended to be Ling’s primary bodyguard. He couldn’t count the number of times she’d saved him or fought with him, be it against assassins or not. From the outside it was all a matter of duty, serving her Lord and head of her clan as she was expected to. But truthfully their bond ran deeper than their responsibilities. In many ways Ling thought of Lan Fan like a little sister. A sister who very likely could beat him up but didn’t.

“I’m sorry.”

Lan Fan suddenly looked up, surprised at her Lord. Ling’s smile had waned, and instead he regarded his bodyguard seriously.

“It wasn’t right of me to leave you behind like that.” He continued, “and not to explain my reasons for going.”

“The Book of Truth.” She said. Ling nodded.

“But more than that,” He started, “I needed to clear my head. I thought going out there could help me find answers, from the Book or...some other way.”

Lan Fan softened slightly, stepping closer to LIng. “Did you find any?” She asked. Ling looked back, eyes opening to more directly meet hers. He smiled sadly. It was all the reply she needed. 

It was silent for a moment as the two stood there, light from the setting sun whispering in from the entrance to the alley, twilight rising over their heads steadily. Bulbs and lanterns were lighting across the city, congregating around the palace to make something luminous and breathtaking. And looming above it was the shadow of the freshly constructed tower, new and proud amongst the landscape of the city. It waited, as impatient as the young Lord peering up at it felt. Lan Fan watched him, her chest heavy.

“The ceremony will start soon.” Ling said, ending the silence.

“We should get back. You need to prepare.” She added and LIng nodded.

He stepped ahead and began walking beside her. Together the two headed for the palace.

\-----

Lust’s clawed fingers drew across the roof of the building, her head leaning into the crook of her bent arm where she reclined. She peered down, watching the pair start down and out of the alley below her, their conversion having fizzled out. She smiled as they left her line of sight and she turned it upward instead. 

Lights dusting the buildings of the city signaled her approaching opportunity, the sun’s descent drawing the moment ever closer. Lust stood from where she lay, dark hair spinning about her form before falling down her back and over her shoulders.

“I just love watching a plan fall into place.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! It's here finally. Sorry this chapter took so long, things got a little hectic here and I'd lost track of school work, so I wasn't able to work or focus on finishing this chapter until recently. It was a little rocky at first but it was nice falling into dialogue. I can only hope that I'm doing right by the characters.
> 
> I did want Lan Fan to be a bit more assertive towards Ling, a lot like a bossy sister. She's still extremely loyal to him and protecting him is her top priority, but their moments together I want to be more akin to tight-knit siblings. 
> 
> Things are getting a lot closer to the moment of truth too! I'm really excited to write the next chapter cause it's gonna start really getting crazy. Needless to say, oh, poor Ling. And Al does something risky and Ed really doesn't like it. And I'm so happy to hear from people who are enjoying the ride so far! I'm super grateful to every reader and I can't wait for things to finally ramp up. Until than, lots of love! <3


	8. Hawkeye

The moment had come. As the sun made its final descent below the horizon, twilight encompassing the sky, all eyes in the city turned towards the tower. The building had been erected within the farthest corner of the palace, practically in the middle of the capital. It loomed overhead, intricate finishes etched in stone along the sides of the tapered shaft before it arched out and formed the main chamber. Rounded and sharp, the top looked as though it were reaching for the rest of the city, stretching out from its center. Windows dotted the majority of its sides, unable to be looked into from below.

The palace and surrounding city were alight with the soft glow of ceremony lanterns and house lights, everyone was paying attention. Music enveloped the streets, starting from the castle and whisking the rest of the population into a steady anticipation. 

The ethereal light was beginning its winding ascent up the tower, spiraling up the stairs and growing brighter with every passing moment. Within its walls four lone guards carried the Book of Truth upon its pedestal, arms steady beneath the weight of the moment. They entered into the main chamber, the room wide and framed by tall columns. Lanterns hung against the curved walls, their flames dull in comparison to the morphing glow of the Book. They approached the center of the room, markings along the floors swirling and converging upon the hollow pedestal fixed in the middle. 

The guards lifted their burden above their heads, aligning it over the center of the pedestal. The one they carried fit by design, falling with ease down into the opening of the carved stand. The surface of the top set it into place, the two combined into one and the Book seemed to sense this. It had arrived. Its light swelled and for a moment the white glow burst from the pages.

From outside every member of the crowd with eyes fixed upon the tower watched as the windows came alight with the sudden and intense luminance. It was stunning, many forced to look away before the display ebbed into a gentle, consistent white glow. The tower was fully illuminated, alight with the power of the Book of Truth hung above the capital city.

The beat of awed silence ended, the music had paused, and quickly the cry of cheers overtook the streets. It was official, it was here, it was final. All understood the implications of the event they’d just witnessed, the shared union and promise that was made. The nations were dedicated, united together upon the promise of peace and serving as an example and a declaration for others to join them.

And with this, the celebration could begin. Inside the palace, the grand hall was alight with the sound of music and chatter. People danced or converged upon tables splayed with foods, not all being from Xing. Many dignitaries from neighboring countries had brought with them offerings, a sharing of resources and culture, including native dishes and drinks. Many others grouped into quiet conversation, representatives congratulating one another and sharing prospects for the future. The scene was formal, though none could deny the jovial atmosphere that lent itself to breaking away at the decorum. 

The Royal Family of Xerxes had been among the first to enter the hall, the King and two Princes side by side as they exchanged honors with the Emperor and his high Council Members. King Hohenheim performed all of the speaking, his voice strong but kind. Neither Prince made eye contact with him, their focus centered on the Xing leaders, unwavering. As the celebration kicked up and the hall was littered with people it became appropriate for the two to join the crowd.

While Edward had been more than willing to leave Hoheneim’s side as quickly as possible, he’d become less enthusiastic as he and Al navigated the rest of the grand hall. Maintaining a low profile was an impossibility, there would be little opportunity for the two to find a corner to enjoy themselves. Every step the pair of Brothers made towards this was interrupted by a noble or important representative. But after several years of adjustment, the act of Royal Ambassadors had become easier to maintain, even in the face of becoming overwhelmed. At the very least, the Brothers had prior experience putting up masks, pretending they were okay and knew exactly what they were doing. Granted, Edward didn’t think he’d ever become this good at bullshitting his way through a conversation.

Unfortunately Ed and Al found themselves separated, a pair of nobles from one of Xing’s most prominent clans pulling Alphonse away momentarily to speak on such-something or another that might have been of importance if they weren’t at a party. As he was pulled away, Ed flashed the younger a sympathetic look and Al returned it before he disappeared into the crowd. This left Edward for the time being in a somewhat heated discussion about infrastructure with a newer member of Xerxes’s Parliament. 

As the evening drew on, Ed found himself gradually more and more grateful for the readily available drinks. He’d gone through a few already (thank his high-tolerance gifted to him from growing up in Resembool) and currently found himself holding a tall glass with a mixed drink he hadn’t asked the contents of. As well, he’d shifted through multiple conversations and thankfully found himself in one that finally interested him. He was grouped with a pair of older scholars from the local college of the city, in a heated discussion on Alkahestry theory. Ed was keeping up with every word, recognizing some of it from conversations and letters he’d shared with Al and Mei, even though he didn’t know it as well as he did western Alchemy. 

He realized the older pair likely didn’t think he understood as much as he really did, as they had shifted primarily to a back and forth that bordered on comedic. But Ed was unwilling to withdraw, whether the two cared to regard him or not, just watching them had been the most entertaining thing he’d seen at the party so far. He sipped his drink, eyes jumping between the pair like a pong ball with each flying bit of sharp-edged banter.

Then just as the scholars’ voices hinted at rising an octave higher than was appropriate, Ed watched as the two stilled, noticing something behind the Prince. He heard the subtle voice before he had the chance to turn and investigate. A short clearing of the throat and the newcomer was standing between him and the scholars, who had become incredibly quiet.

The man was tall and perhaps a few years older than Edward. His hair was dark and pulled up in a regal fashion with a thin mustache above his lip. He wore predominantly green, his robe adorned with gold thread, and a light layer of wrapped leather armor about his torso. But most striking were his eyes, dark and piercing, not in a specifically pleasant way. A less stubborn person might have drawn away from it instinctively, but Edward stood vigilant, reaffirming his posture and mask on reflex.

“M-my Lord Hou. Pardon us-” One of the scholars began to speak up, timid and meek, a stark difference from their earlier conversation. But the man interrupted.

Wait, they called him ‘Lord’, didn’t they? And Hou- Ed could have sworn that name sounded familiar but he was struggling to place how he knew it.

“You may go. If it is permitted by the Prince, I wish to speak with him alone.” He said, his voice commanding and cold. At this, Ed bristled. If this were any other day and any other situation he would have really enjoyed telling the other off, maybe recommending he find the nearest lake to jump in. Where did someone like him get the idea that it was fine to speak to people like they were second thought? Well...he had an idea. Regardless it didn’t make it any more acceptable. But this wasn’t the setting Ed could do that, and instead all he could do was stand there, bite back his retorts and watch as the two scholars made themselves very scarce. Meanwhile, the man was still watching him, gaze unwavering as he raised his hand up toward Edward.

“Your highness, would you care to follow me?” He asked. 

And like a bullet to the brain Ed remembered where he’d heard that name. He was a member of the Hou clan-no, even worse-he was the head. Rarely were any besides the masters of the clans, heirs to the throne, referred to as ‘Lords.’ But that couldn’t be it, this couldn’t be Chao Hou. Ed made it a point to stay out of any and all dealings with the Xing clans ever since it had been made apparent that the heirs were purposefully avoiding him. He’d decided he would educate himself later after the whole confusion for who the next Emperor would be was done and Ed would know for sure who he would be-...well anyway. Because of that all he really knew about them came from stories Alphonse told him, leaving only a few that really left an impression in his memory. Chao Hou had-granted it had taken a moment for him to remember.

Edward tried not to hesitate as he gave the Lord his hand and allowed himself to be led through the crowd. As they walked through the room Ed was noticing the change. Scatterings of heads whipped towards the pair, expressions tightened or fell completely slack. Different eyes began to dart around the room, as if looking for a catalyst or explanation for the head of the Hou clan to be in contact with the Prince of Xerxes. Ed knew this was unprecedented but the rising panic felt kind of ridiculous. Then out of the crowd he spotted Alphonse. His poor little brother looked aghast, his grip on his own goblet waning before it threatened to fall to the floor. Luckily it was caught by Mei, who was standing at his side, before it could cause a scene. As if snapping out of a haze, Al quickly mouthed toward Ed.

‘What is going on??’

Ed replied as covertly as he could walking hand-in-hand with the Lord.

‘I have no fucking idea!?’

Before he knew it, Edward caught on to where they were going, as Chao led them closer and closer to one of the vacant balconies of the grand hall. The marble floors outside shifted colors from the main interior as they stepped into the night air. They finally stopped at the edge of the balcony and Ed was more than willing to pull his hand back after Chao let go. The taller man took one more step until he was leaning forward, hands resting on the thick railing overlooking the city. The Book’s tower loomed above them, soft light gently illuminating their figures. Unnerved, Ed abandoned his glass atop a viewing chair before fully regarding the Lord.

“I feel I must apologise for pulling you away, and for not introducing myself before now.” He finally broke the silence, though the tension remained.

“Oh. It’s fine…” Edward was almost hesitant to reply. Solely for the fact that something about this felt very wrong.

“I’m glad. There has been something I’ve wanted to ask you for some time now.” Chao turned slightly away from the railing in order to look at him directly, sending a chill up Ed’s spine, “What are your visions for the future?”

Okay, they were talking as diplomats. Vague wonderings about their countries’ relationship and prospects of the future weren’t so bad. They were an angle he could work with at least.

“Xing accepting the Book and the promise to hand it off again is a step in the right direction, it sets an example. And hearing the conversations inside between the other nations gives us hope.” Edward let himself step closer to the railing, thinking back on all the passing words he’d caught throughout the night. And he wasn’t bullshitting that really, tonight had given him hope that something akin to a healthy relationship could be fostered between Xerxes, Xing and the other countries.

“I am optimistic as well,” Chao replied, facing him fully, “I see the power in the Book of Truth, what it can do for us, how we can all benefit.” Edward wasn’t exactly sure how to respond, a lilt to the man’s words almost betraying something.

“You sound ambitious.” 

“I am. I want many things for my people and for my country.” Chao shifted his gaze up to the tower, “The Book of Truth is key to achieving them.”

“The Book isn’t so much a tool, as it is a symbol for something greater.” It was taking a lot of Ed’s self control not to snap his words, and to remain as dignified as he was expected to be. Chao however was making that very difficult. It was made all the more frustrating as he couldn’t perfectly read the intent behind the other’s eyes, as intense as they were. And then they were focused directly on him once more.

Chao was silent for a moment, gaze wandering up and down Ed’s form before settling on him, eye-to-eye. Edward hoped suddenly that Chao was having as hard of a time reading him as he was.

“Humor me, your highness. How do you feel at the possibility of us one day being betrothed?” Chao asked, breaking the silence, as well as Ed’s train of thought.

“I-I,” His thoughts hyperventilated for a moment as Ed tried hard to think of something to say that wouldn’t be a rude retort or embarrassed floundering, “-am potentially betrothed to the head of every clan. You must understand-I haven’t had much time to think about it.”

“I see…” Chao’s gaze was unwavering until it wandered again, sliding up and down before settling on something. Suddenly Ed noticed the man’s hand raising, drawing steadily closer to him. He in kind went very still, extremely aware of the other’s hand as well as his own desire to step back. But he resisted, unwilling to stand down to...whatever this conversation was.

The hand rose and drew closer to Ed’s face, whose mind was racing with every prospect of what was happening and where a Prince would draw the line. Then suddenly Chao was right there, standing much closer than he was before and with his hand right next to Ed’s face. His breath caught as he felt the fingers brushing his cheek as well as a strand of hair, fallen from the adornments that held it back. Chao tucked it behind his ear, lingering there.

“Perhaps we can change that.” He spoke, lowering his hand but neglecting to give Ed his personal space back. His mind was reeling as he felt his face flushing, whether from indignation, rage or the sheer embarrassment of the moment-he didn’t know.

“Royal Ambassador Elric.”

Ed was half way to cursing when he whipped his head around and looked back towards the entrance to the balcony to see who had happened to pop in on this scenario. But words couldn’t have described the relief he felt when he saw no one but Hawkeye standing there, stoic as ever. Her gaze lingered on the Lord for a moment, expression unreadable, before she trained all of her attention on Edward.

“My apologies for interrupting but...I’m afraid members of the Xerxes Parliament are attempting to make a toast with some of the Amerstrian dignitaries. There is...a disconnect. We could use the assistance of an ambassador.” She spoke clearly and succinctly, standing resolute with her hands behind her back. She almost gave the illusion that they weren’t at a social function or celebration.

“R-right, of course Lieutenant Colonel.” Ed replied quickly, thanking the God he didn’t believe in for this out. He turned to look back up at Chao, taking a strategic step away, “Pardon me, Lord Hou,” and finally made his escape.

He moved as quickly as he could without appearing desperate to get away, meeting Hawkeye at her side before she turned and joined him back inside the Great Hall. She kept pace with him until he finally slowed down, deeper within the crowd, then allowing her to lead the way. But having put distance between him and the mess outside, Ed was beginning to notice Hawkeye didn’t seem particularly in a rush to get him anywhere.

“You didn’t need my help, did you?” Ed asked, a small smile pulling at the ends of his lips. Looking ahead, he could see now where the Lt. Colonel was leading them, able to spot Alphonse, Mei and now Mustang standing together through the crowd.

“No. But you looked like you might need mine.” She replied, adorning a covert smirk as they joined the three. He took the opportunity to consider how much he really missed her since he’d last been in Central, giving her a genuinely fond smile.

Alphonse immediately was looking at Ed as if he had just come back from being kidnapped, worry stricken as both he and Hawkeye corralled him closer. Seriously, they were acting as if they were surrounded by wolves. Even Mei looked stressed, a feeling he hadn’t seen the younger express in a long time after her return to Xing. Meanwhile Mustang was leveling him with that concerned, parental glare, making him wonder what Alphonse had been telling them while he’d been indisposed.

“Ed, what happened? W-Why-what was that for?” Al asked, in as hushed a voice as he could manage in the crowded hall. Ed tried to let the tension out through his lungs as he sighed.

“I don’t know. All I can say is that was a really, really weird conversation.” He said, running his hand across the side of his head and feeling the lock of hair tucked away. He quickly went to join it back up into its fastenings.

“What do you think this means?” Mei asked, hands fidgeting around the stem of her glass, unease apparent. Al looked contemplative beside her, hand resting over his mouth as if to try and hide what he was thinking. Ed didn’t know how much he wanted to hear it either.

\-----------------------

It was time.

Lust straightened up, hands splayed across the carved tip of the tower, cold red eyes lingering on the bright lights spilling from the palace before she redirected her attention down. Her hair swirled and body dissolved into twisting flat shadows against the curved roof. Rapidly her form slithered down the side of the building, closer and closer to the white glow until she was able to slip into one of the many cut windows. Her torso reformed just enough to peer down from her vantage point on the wall, following the meandering form of the lone guard. This was going to be too easy.

The guard was Xerxesian, strong and built, dressed in traditional armor and robes, with her blonde hair tied at the base of the neck, reflecting the enigmatic white glow from the book. She had been a part of the escort from the dock and ,following the ceremony earlier that evening, had been posted to guard the relic. She would remain until the next day, when her charge would be taken by a Xing soldier. Until then, it was only her and the book.

Suddenly one of the lanterns upon the wall fizzled completely out. Startled, she whipped around as her hand shot to the hilt of her sword. 

“Who’s there?” She called out. She waited as she heard her voice echo the question back to her. Silence fell back over the chamber and she allowed her hand to fall from her weapon. 

She straightened up, looking around the room again, pivoting slowly, feeling a wind sweep about her that hadn’t been there before, but surely it could be easily regarded as the breeze from the building’s height. Then two more lanterns were extinguished from behind her, casting harsh shadows. Her blade was quickly unsheathed. She circled the room, eyes zeroing in on any movement she could. Her back was turned once more to the final lantern when it faded as well. She whipped around looking towards the Book, now the only light gently illuminating the room.

Behind the opposite most pillar, Lust fully materialized. Obscured by the darkness she leaned forward, watching as the guard drew ever closer to her hiding spot. She laughed silently, red lips pulled into an excited smile. With ease she began drawing the shadows from her form up and in front of her, molding a new body entirely for her to then step into. Like a puppet it came alive around her, features and limbs becoming solid and just almost real. And with the transformation, Lust stepped out from the shadows of the column, stolen sword materializing in the hand behind her back.

The light from the Book was caught in the polished metal as it was revealed. The guard gasped, recognizing the figure immediately. What on earth was the Lord that had accompanied her Prince off the ship doing here? But perhaps that question was unnecessary as the head of the Yao clan drew closer, his marked blade brandished up towards her. His eyes were dark and unreadable, but the smirk that stretched across his face was frightening. The guard made her final decision, her loyalty was to the Book of Truth, and so she charged forward, her own weapon raised with purpose. But her enemy's blade struck out faster than she could have anticipated, slicing into her hand and knocking her weapon away. Startled, she quickly looked away from her lost sword and back at her opponent. He had come far closer, smile twisted as he raised his fist and thrust it down. It cracked across her jaw, sent her sprawling onto the marble floors and finally into blissful unconsciousness.

As Lust approached the slumped figure of the guard, her disguise dissolved around her, true hand holding up the bloodied Yao-clan blade. She laughed, smooth voice echoing across the chamber before she tossed the sword away, clattering towards the downed mortal. She turned away from it, facing her final intention. Excited, her body dissolved as shadows quickly whipped across the floor before reforming her right at the base of the Book’s pedestal. Her hands stretched outward, feeling the twisting lights erect from the seam of the pages before falling away. Her hands slipped beneath it, lifting it from its stand and up above her. Her conquest, her prize.

“And all the pieces fall together-” Red eyes shone wickedly as her fingers curled and snapped the Book shut.

Suddenly every lingering light throughout the chamber stilled before shooting back towards the darkened Book. The sky rumbled and clouds from the night sky grew impossibly dark, converging over the Book’s tower. Quickly and sporadically every light throughout the city burst and disappeared as the ground began to shake. Cracks ripped across the streets and buildings, extending to the palace.

Inside the Grand Hall, panic had gripped the crowd, all celebration gone as gold fixtures across the wall and ceiling fell and crashed against the floor. Edward and Alphonse rushed out onto the balcony, horror stricken as the sky became thick with clouds, and the railing in front of them splintered and fell into rubble. They followed the chaos to its source.

“Brother!” Alphonse pointed to the tower, “The Book!” 

The earth shook violently and Ed quickly grabbed the taller before he could fall over, pulling him back as more of the balcony began to crumble before them. Suddenly they were pulled back and inside completely, Mustang holding both of their arms as he wrenched them towards the nearest exit.

“Come on, we gotta move!” He shouted over the chaos. They obeyed and followed him, joining Hawkeye at the entrance to the Hall before fleeing. But Ed couldn’t steal his eyes away from the visions outside, constantly looking over his shoulder, watching the scene around the tower grow darker and darker. 

What the fuck was happening?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So excited to finally be posting this chapter! The main catalyst to action is here and things are going to start getting really riled up. Also I know it was pretty short but finally getting to write Hawkeye in felt great. In addition I hope I've planted more plot seeds that can be grown and expanded in later chapters! As much fun as this chapter was to write I can't wait to get started on the next one, it'll probably be a lot more Ling-centered. Also, my apologies for having to write Ed slightly out of character here. I tried at least to let his inner dialogue reflect his real feelings and character, but dang he's gotten pretty good at controlling his temper in certain settings, its really miraculous.
> 
> Also I want to thank Everyone so much! For reading, commenting and bookmarking so far! Like seriously, every update I get that someone else has read this story or left a kudo just shoots me with happiness and gratitude. And I love reading every comment and feedback on the chapters, they've given me so many extra boosts to keep writing, especially with school ramping up on my end. But right now I have no desire to stop this train and I'm genuinely so excited to share the next few scenes I have fleshed out.
> 
> So one final Thank You, to everyone! Love you so much!

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Been a minute since I've written anything, so apologies for any poor writing or weird mistakes. But this has been an idea that's distracted me for weeks now. I hope to finish it, but there will be no set schedule for updates. With school back in session, I'll only work on it when I have time.
> 
> For background too, this is somewhat canon-compliant with Brotherhood. The biggest differences are that Ling didn't travel to Amestris to discover immortality, Xerxes never fell, the vast dessert separating Xing and Amestris is instead an Ocean, and there was no Father behind the end game plot. Instead, the homunculi are considered actual personifications of the vices, and Wrath and Pride were the masterminds behind the show's plot. The story will better go into detail on most of these major plot points and I'm open to answering questions too!


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